Baby Buddha + David Javelosa: Everyone is My Age LP

I meant to post this in conjunction with the recent (and absolutely impeccable) Dark Entries BART compilation, but.... well, I didn't get to it. That record featured a selection from the final Los Microwaves 7". But in some ways this LP could actually be considered the last Los Microwaves release. It's ostensibly a collaboration between Baby Buddha (who released another LP on Posh Boy in 1982, which mainly featured synthpop covers a la Silicon Teens) and David Microwave from Los Microwaves. But Baby Buddha did not actually refer to a specific person; it was a Los Microwaves side project featuring Javelosa and guests. So, confusingly, this was David Javelosa’s side project on which he collaborated with… David Javelosa (as well as all members of Los Microwaves). It's possibly the most completely eccentric LP I've heard in a long time- it blends darkwave, psychedelic rock, minimal electronics, ambient, 60s garage rock, and even a little bit of country on the endearing "Selfish Heart". It almost sounds like it could be a compilation of 8 different bands rather than the output of 4 or 5 collaborating individuals. As a result of these disparate ingredients the record can be hit or miss. But it is never boring, and there are some great songs to be found.

This record was actually recorded around 1983-1984, but was finally self-released in 1987. David Javelosa went on to become a music composer and programmer at Sega. I had the good fortune of seeing him perform at a game programmers’ conference afterparty about 6 or 7 years ago. It was held at the now-defunct Drum Machine Museum in the heart of the tenderloin in San Francisco; he was opening for Freezepop. I don't know if he actually played any of these songs (I had not heard the LP yet) but I remember being quite amazed at the ease with which he changed styles from one song to another, like a musical chameleon. His ability and proficiency in so many genres is probably why he was successful as a music programmer, with the ability to create pieces that could suit any moment in a game.

I ripped the first two songs on each side together since they mix seamlessly with each other.

Baby Buddha & David Javelosa: Everyone is My Age LP

1987, Hyperspace Music

A1 Overture

A2 Think It’s You

A3 Big Generation

A4 Do I

A5 Selfish Heart

B1 Everyone is My Age

B2 Clear Eyes

B3 Emotion II

B4 Night

B5 My Age

B6 Chantilly Lace

Click here to listen!

Crimson Ivy: Spiritual Vision LP & Existence/Here We Are EP & Epithet Records stuff...

Here are both releases from San Francisco Bay Area band The Cure Crimson Ivy. I've been meaning to post these for quite a while. When I saw that Curious Guy posted the Autumn Cathedral LP (on the same label, Epithet Records) a couple days ago, I figured these records would be good companion pieces. The Cu- CRIMSON IVY was a darkwave/post punk band fronted by Russell Ficklin, who (at least on the LP) wanted soooooo much to be Robert Smith. From his voice to his hair, he was L'il Robbie Smith Jr. However, while it is quite derivative, it's also very good, with equal elements of electro and psych. And the EP takes it in a bit of a different, slightly more New Order-ish and synth-oriented direction, with more earth-loving hippie-ish lyrics.

Extra Epithet Records bonus! If you're interested in hearing another great band from this cult label, check out And Tears Fell. All their songs from their first album, Sidhe, are available for free download. They are a bit darkwave, a bit shoegaze, and a bit alt-rock. Definitely recommended if you like the Crimson Ivy and Autumn Cathedral stuff.

Also! If you check out the comments on the Autumn Cathedral post at Phoenix Hairpins, an anonymous poster uploaded some Autumn Cathedral demos, the Count Past Five 7" (a mod/powerpop band), and the Mute Angst Envy Archetype + Trust CD.

Even bonuser! You can now buy the previously out-of-print and aforementioned Archetype + Trust CD from the Kitchenwhore Records website.

I have several Epithet/Americanon Records catalogs that were packed with the 12"s and EPs on the label, and have been trying to obtain the full discography.
Here is the full discography, to the best of my knowledge:
EPOS1: V/A "Anthology 1: An Awakening" (I believe this was a Europe-only comp to try to promote the label to the more like-minded European market. I've never seen a copy of this before.
EPOS1: Red Weather "Gray" (same catalog number as above. This was only released on cassette and CD_
EPIC1: Crimson Ivy "Spiritual Vision" LP (vinyl-only)
EPIC2: Autumn Cathedral "Asleep Within Waves" (CD and vinyl formats... the CD is extremely hard to find)
AMLP1: The Rise "Fortunes Ride" (CD, cassette, and vinyl formats)
AMLP2: Merv Spiegel and the Penguins "Spitting Tree" (vinyl and cassette only - this is decent alt-rock/post punk)
VERSE1: Count Past Five "Bad Boys of Brighton 7"" (this is the only release from this band; they were a straightforward mod/powerpop band; the song "Bad Boys of Brighton" is a catchy track)
AMEP1: The Electra "Isaac, Felia, the Alley, Bricks & Rain" (mini-LP. I've never seen or heard this before)
CANT01: Crimson Ivy "Existence/Here We Are" (vinyl-only EP)
CANT02: Mute Angst Envy "Trust" (vinyl-only EP)
?????: And Tears Fell: Sidhe (CD? Vinyl? Cassette?)
?????: And Tears Fell: Circe (CD? Vinyl? Cassette?)

Also, there are loads of non-music releases on Epithet Records that were given catalog numbers, a la Factory Records. Poems, covers, lyric sheets, tour flyers, photos, t-shirts, and stickers are all listed in the catalogs
Any help in filling in any gaps would be appreciated, especially regarding the And Tears Fell releases, since I've never actually come across physical copies of them...


Anyway, back to the records at hand: The Crimson Ivy LP was released in 1988; the EP came out in 1989.

Spiritual Vision LP:
1. Insomnia
2. A Vision
3. The Moon
4. Giving In
5. The Decisive Effect
6. Forever
7. Kiss of Death
8. You
9. Two Shadows

Existence/Here We Are EP:
1. Existence
2. Awkward
3. Here We Are
4. Serenity

Download both the LP and EP here!