
- Artist/Title: Entente Cordiale - life underground
- 8
- Format: 2CDR
- Label: Carbon Records
- Price: $10
- Catalog ID: CR167
This is a set of studio and live Entente Cordiale recordings. disc 1 consists of a studio session at the Bunker in Rochester NY, recorded by Nuuj (of Pengo/Asthmatic/Tuurd). three pieces varying from the EC guitar pattern/drone approach, and ending with an on-the-edge of falling apart secular mantra before diving into the most uncharacteristic EC sounds to date (channeling the then future direction of Tumul). disc 2 consists of a long live set recorded at Soundlab in Buffalo NY, when EC (accompanied by Nuuj) opened for the Yellow Swans. a marathon blast of loud guitar riffs, drones and deep synth action. [sprayed and silkscreened 5x7 chipboard stay-flat kraft envelopes with sprayed discs]
Reviews (1):
Foxy Digitalis
I know that I’m not the only wholehearted advocate for Rochester, NY’s most excellent Carbon Records imprint, but I feel like there just isn’t enough love being broadcast throughout this worldwide ‘web’ of ours for this high-quality label. I can’t say enough how consistently these guys (guy, actually) issue quality recordings. Carbon Greatness Exhibit A: this latest double CD-R of guitar goodness from Entente Cordiale – a trio consisting of Chris Reeg, Will Veeder and Carbon boss man Joe Tunis. These guys specialize in slow-motion shredding and extended feedback wrangling. The two discs that comprise “Life Underground” demonstrate the two unique faces of the EC oeuvre. The first disc is a home studio recording, while the second disc documents a single live show from a few months prior to the studio session. Both discs amply serve as platforms for the group’s relaxed approach to improv, but each contains a unique cache of treasures befitting the specific recording environment.
In the studio, EC showcases their sense of balance: melody is played off of dissonance, and quietude begets commotion. On the first track, a short guitar line repeats ad infinitum underneath a slowly-building web of textured guitar noise. The second and third tracks are lengthy feedback-laden sludge feasts whose landscapes are littered with the debris of ruined guitars. The live disc is a demonstration of the drone-to-chaos aspect of the EC sound. What starts out as a manageable slow-burning ember of sound erupts into a frenzied blaze, with furious waves of feedback cast to and fro. A churning cascade of deep-end drone pierces the madness, reeling in any stray frequencies.
There is almost two hours of music on “Life Underground”, enough to satiate the hungriest of out-guitar fans. After this, do we need any more evidence that there is quality music coming from the bowels of post-industrial America? I think not, but I welcome it anyway. 9/10 - Byron Hayes

- Artist/Title: Foot and Mouth Disease - Two Sicilies
- 4
- Format: 2CDR
- Label: Cornsilk
- Price: $10
- Catalog ID: CarbonDist_CORNSILK06

- Artist/Title: Pengo - Alchemy and Bullshit
- 8
- Format: 2CDR
- Label: Carbon Records
- Price: $12
- Catalog ID: CR101
a double CDR document of Pengo's migration from a 3-piece out-spazz-noise group to 4-piece drone-psych-noise-rock group. recordings ranging from the 2001 Phi-Tour series, 2002 live and "studio" pieces (including a show with guests Dave Cross of Coffee, Ed Wilcox of Temple Bon Matin and Charles Leport of Hinkley/Finkbeiner/etc), thru pounding live 2003/2004 sets, much in the vein of current configuration. 2 black-bottom cdrs, glossy print insert, sealed in a 6"x8" silkscreened and spray painted chipboard mailer.
Reviews (3):
Volcanic Tongue
Heaviest slab yet served from the gob of this Rochester-based unit, with two beautifully packaged CD-Rs that bridge the gulf between the early American hobbyist art/action goofs that defined the three-piece incarnation to the heavy psychedelic post-Airway gravity that the current world-beating quartet have been shovelling from their guts for the past few years. Recordings run from the 2001 Phi-Tour series through 2002 live and studio pieces (including guest spots from Dave Cross of Coffee and Ed Wilcox of Temple Of Bon Matin) and wild style tear-em-ups from 2003/2004. Pretty much the definitive set from these bozos, all sealed inside a 6”x 8” silkscreened and spray painted chipboard mailer. Recommended. - David Keenan
Patchwork Collective
PENGO MAN.
4 monsters from Rochester have got the art of mind fuckery down to a science. "Alchemy and Bullshit" is a 2 disc retro of sorts that complies their insanely hard to pin down style. I mean, its aloof in the sense that they have moved passed their 3 piece heavy drone unit that dawned the organ heavy "A Nervous Splendor" in 2001, to a 4 piece incarnation they've been working with as of late... This slab really does bring out the raddest sense of complete ambivalence in the most fun way possible. Heavy as shit, Harry Pussy like guitar work, bright eyed hysterical sax spurts, fast paced narcoleptic drumming, and over blown organ work is just the beginning. Similar instrumentation spans throughout both discs, but you're hard pressed to find congruence. The first track of disc one is a seamless jointing of what seems like six of seven live shows. Its all "covers" of a genre catch all. The Stooges, Rush, the Organization, Neil Young, and Negative Approach (if you think they were just mediocre hardcore, go back to bed shit stain). They rip apart the essential elements of each song to the barest, and slap on their own sound. It's repetitive, but totally insane. But its fun see. They take themselves out of the lame self important avenues of typical drone, and basically blend together 142 styles into one snot rocket of GROSS ROCK. Quotin' John Schoen from a Blastitude interview last year, he shows his love for Chilean schlock director Alejandro Jodorowsky. "(Jodorowsky) treads the same fine line between mystic and bullshitter..." That line is never defined with this band. It's psychedelic in the sense that it resists categorization. Released in December of 2005, you can still snag a copy of this at the Carbon Records website. 2 black-bottom CDRs, glossy print insert, sealed in a 6"x8" silkscreened and spray painted chipboard mailer is what you're going to be staring at. Keep it scummy. - Brock Kappers
200LBU
Rochester's Pengo have carved out a truly unique spot for themselves in the past few years. Live, they can sometimes come off like some manic tribal ritual that would of taken place on the Spahn Ranch right before a creepy crawl. Their recorded output can be a confusing though fulfilling stew of found audio, grey noise clouds and ham fisted guitar wrenching that would send any strong blooded struggler for the Geritol in no time. This double disc set, entitled 'Alchemy and Bullshit', is made up of various live recordings done around their hometown a few years back and it showcases the various forms of dementia this unit is capable of. The first disc is a perfect soundtrack for a late night wander through old newspaper clippings and various forms of mildew found behind the toilet. The boys attempt to cover Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Negative Approach and Organization only to end up sounding like pygmies dropped off in the middle of Sunflower City with only a bamboo shoot and a paper thin guitar pick to fend with. The gem of this disc is the closing 'Official Genius' which meanders through much fog and steam to relieve itself in a way only Captain Beefheart or Ansley Dunbar would find fitting. How quaint. The second disc is made up of shorter pieces of subtle mud slapped guitar crap that'll have ya heavin' in no time. Swap a copy of your Hunger Artist 12" to the fine folks at the Carbon label and maybe they'll throw ya one - Tony Rettman

- Artist/Title: Swamps Up Nostrils - Reconstruct III
- 4
- Format: 2CDR
- Label: TIBProd (Norway)
- Price: $12
- Catalog ID: CarbonDist_TIBCD55
"Some while ago, an ep made by Swamps Up Nostrils were made available through tibprod for remixing purpouses. The results are overwhelming. Not just one disc, but two discs, full of wonderful reconstructed music by totally awesome people. " - co-release with Krakilsk.

- Artist/Title: Various Artists - USA/USB
- 4
- Format: 2CDR
- Label: The Shadow Puppet Recording Company
- Price: $10
- Catalog ID: CarbonDist_SPRC004
Compilation of fractured glitch soundscapes featuring Brent Gutzeit/TV POW/Gino Robair/Dale Lloyd/omnid/Andrew Hayleck/etc.etc.etc.etc.

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