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Zulu Report: On Re-Issued Bowie & What’s Up With “Down There”

Our friends over at Kitsilano’s Zulu Records once again present their weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, staff from the West 4th music store provide The Track, the song that is on heavy rotation that week; The Playlist, which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig, the must see show of the week; and The Glance, a view ahead to music on the horizon. From their ears to yours, enjoy…

The Track

currently on heavy rotation in the store…

Watch Avey Tare sort of discuss his new solo debut Down There (Paw Tracks), but primarily just creep us the hell out…

Avey Tare (aka Dave Portner) steps out from the shadow of main gig, Animal Collective, for his debut release under his (sort of) own name, Down There. Although Down There definitely shares the kind of dub-heavy, technicolor-psychedelic trance loops of Merriweather, this is nonetheless ‘nother beast. Gone is the sort of naïve, manic-positive vibe that permeates so much AC’s music; in its place is a dark sense of discomfort and foreboding yearning. Tare seems to be staring down the Big Questions on this album: fatherhood, mortality, and creeping paranoia all seem to be part of the sonic picture inscribed across the nine tracks of this album. It’s not a wholly bummer trip. More, it just feels like a mature and welcome step forward from a figure who casts a loooong shadow across the last decade of music. Down There is Tare stepping out on his own, working out some heavy issues in a way that’s fascinating to be a party to. Enjoy.

The Playlist

The records we can’t get enough of this week…

DESTROYER Archer On The Beach (Merge)

Archer On The Beach is another unexpected left turn from out favourite pop chameleon. This time out Bejar collaborates with two noted ambient-texture-wizards – Tim Hecker and Loscil – for two extended jams of contemplative revery.

NEIL YOUNG Le Noise (WEA) VINYL BACK IN STOCK!

Vinyl copies for Neil’s latest platter of crunchy-dirges is yet another return to form in a career of many such returns. A lot of customers missed out on the first round of vinyl; here’s your chance to grab the wax before it’s gone forever!

THE FRESH AND ONLYS s/t (Castle Face)

Like the above-mentioned Neil vinyl restock, we at Zulu are pleased to announce the return of our beloved Fresh And Onlys’ debut vinyl release. Hear it again for the first time.

NEU! Neu ’86 (Gronland)

Neu were absolute avatars, extrapolating future music future trends – punk, synth-pop, ambient music – long before anyone anticipated their arrival. Neu ’86 is the long lost, difficult to find 4th studio album from Dinger and Rother, and as anyone familiar with the band would expect, it’s genius.

BRIAN ENO Small Craft On A Milk Sea (Warp)

Two totemic legends teaming up for a scorcher new release: ambient legend Brian Eno and legendary ambient label Warp. Small Craft taps into that classic vein of Eno’s ambient career, with a sound I’ll call Music For Movies On Land, natch!

EARTH A Bureaucratic Desire For Extra-Capsular Extraction (Southern Lord)

Earth’s classic guitar-wrangling, bass heavy, time travelling shamanic long player, the one with vocals from a certain PacNW grunge legend, gets the rightful reissue treatment is deserves, by the esteemed gents at Southern Lord. Deadly.

DAVID BOWIE Station To Station 3cd Reissue (EMI)

The Thin White Duke! The Cocaine! The astral space funk! The Nina Simone cover! Station To Station is an absolute classic, and this reasonably priced reissue gives you a nice booklet, and two discs of stellar live tracks.

ZOLA JESUS Valusia ep (Sacred Bones)

Our fave goth princess, anti-Lady Dada creeper sends some more midnight chills our way, with two videos and glorious packaging. Praise Jesus!

SHARON VAN ETTEN Epic (BaDaBing!)

Van Etten’s gorgeous, atmospheric, confessional songs have been creeping their way into Zulu’s collective craw. Epic is indeed epic, in a grand way that makes us play it over and over. Be here for our free Sharon Van Etten instore on Thursday Nov 11th at 4pm!

The Gig

Clinic and The Fresh And Onlys at The Biltmore on Tuesday Nov 16th

It’s been a long while since Zulu’s favourite Liverpudlians Clinic brought their krauty, garage rock alchemy to Vancouver. They’ll be sure to induce a mass trance to all who fix their gaze upon them. But not until Zulu’s favourite San Franciscans The Fresh And Onlys attack the stage with their own reverb-twang garage shuffle. Can’t wait for this show! Clinic on Letterman, back in the day:

The Glance

Thu NOV 11
DAN MANGAN – VOGUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
BORGORE – FORTUNE
DJ SPINNA & DAM FUNK – POST MODERN
BEATS ANTIQUE DJ SET – BILTMORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
SHARON VAN ETTEN – ZULU RECORDS – FREE
JUNIP (JOSE GONZALES) w/ Sharon Van Etten – VENUE
DUBSTEP INVASION w/ BORGORE – FORTUNE

Fri NOV 12
SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN – BILTMORE
LUKE DOUCET – VENUE
HOLLERADO – MEDIA CLUB
ROGER SANCHEZ & SIDNEY SAMSON – CELEBRITIES
BRASSTRONAUT – RICKSHAW

Sat NOV 13
DELOREAN – BILTMORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
WINTERSLEEP – COMMODORE
MEGAHURTZ – W2
3 OH 3 w/ Down with Webster – VOGUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
CAVE SINGERS – RICKSHAW

Sun NOV 14
GOATWHORE – RICKSHAW

Mon NOV 15
DEAN WAREHAM PLAYS GALAXIE 500 – BILTMORE
CANDY CLAWS -MEDIA CLUB

Tue NOV 16
CLINIC w/ THE FRESH & ONLYS – BILTMORE

Wed NOV 17
NOSAJ THING + TORO Y MOI – BILTMORE
JEREMY FISHER- ST. JAMES HALL

Thu NOV 18
SEAN HAYES – BILTMORE
BENNY PAGE (uk) -SHINE
MOBB DEEP – FORTUNE SOUND CLUB

Fri NOV 19
ROBYN – VENUE – WE ARE SOLD OUT
THEE OH SEES – BILTMORE

Sun NOV 21
BLONDE REDHEAD – COMMODORE
DIMMU BORGIR – RICKSHAW
DIRT NASTY – FORTUNE

Tue NOV 23
JAY BRANNAN – BILTMORE

Wed NOV 24
FREELANCE WHALES – BILTMORE

Thu NOV 25
SMALL SINS – MEDIA CLUB

Fri NOV 26
ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI + OS MUTANTES – RICKSHAW
JASON COLLETT – BILTMORE
GRINDERMAN – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT

Sat NOV 27
NO AGE w/ GUN OUTFIT – RICKSHAW

Mon NOV 29
PASSION PIT – VOGUE

Tue NOV 30
BLACK MOUNTAIN – COMMODORE – WE ARE SOLD OUT