Here's a list of what's in stock now...
As featured on Can't Stop It! (CH37), Essendon Airport were a minimalist Melbourne two piece in the late 70's, playing guitar, keyboards and electronics. They released a wonderful 7" EP in 1979 called Sonic Investigations Of The Trivial, and in 1980 a 7" single with vocalist Anne Cessna, before expanding to a four and then a five piece lineup in the early 80's. This CD compiles their landmark duo recordings, including the two 7"s, a track from the New Music 1978-79 compilation, and six previously unreleased tracks.
Debut album by Melbourne eccentric Country & Western enigmas. Led by the charismatic Henry Krips, who also performs in experimental musique concrete outfit Dworzec, Wagons mix classic Johnny Cash style songwriting with a strong dose of the strange. Henry himself describes his music as like "being thrust into a brick wall and then sitting down in a comfortable recliner".
A collection of Minimum Chips recordings 1994-1999, made up of singles, compilation tracks and previously unreleased material - their first full length recording in their 8 years as a band! Minimum Chips live in a heliocentric world of Moog experiments, French chanteuses and post-punk sonic investigations. They fuse elements of free jazz improvisation with classic exotic 60's pop, drenched in electone keyboard, beautiful female vocals and absolutely stupefying guitar playing. Minimum Chips are a world-class band.
Letraset is a new electronic project for Julian Patterson and Nicole Thibault, who also play together in Minimum Chips (see CH41, CH16, CH11). They have used battered keyboards, ancient drum machines and a stolen trombone to create a warm and luxurious album inspired by the sounds of Lali Puna, Monade, and Cluster, amongst others.
Melbourne electronic artist Jeremy Dower's debut album was released last year on US label Plug Research (home to names like Safety Scissors and Sutekh), and was one of the years best electronic records. Jeremy Dower's music is human, organic, rustic, accessible and old, but also modern, synthetic, experimental and abstract. Glitch music without the glitches. "Music For Retirement Villages" is a 7 track 12"EP of new material, an essential purchase from Australia's first genius of electronic music.
Our 1998 7" by Perth-based Tracey Read was a cult favourite around the world, but things have been very quiet for Tracey since then. This is her first record since that single, 8 tracks of beautiful gentle music, played very sparsely on acoustic guitar, drums, bass and keyboards. Tracey writes music very simply but with irresistible power. Mia and Guy from Sleepy Township are once again on hand to accompany Tracey, also two members of Perth band the Tucker B's.
A long overdue compilation of Australia's incredible post-punk history, featuring the finest selection of bands from the period 1978-82, with many previously unreleased tracks. This is a fantastically inventive and dynamic time in Australian music history, a time when Australia stepped out of the shadow of overseas influence and asserted its own musical identity for the first time. All of the bands on Can't Stop It! released their music independently, either themselves or through the handful of visionary labels of the time such as Au-go-go, M Squared, Missing Link or Innocent Records. Unfortunately much of the music has since been ignored or forgotten ... until now!
Released on CD by Library Records, Sleepy Township's 2nd album is a fuller, richer and soppier work than their scratchy debut. 13 songs of hope and despair in a style that brings together elements as disparate as the Clean, the Beach Boys, Beat Happening and Yo La Tengo. Vinyl comes in a hand-screened sleeve.
Clare Moore is the drummer for the Dave Graney Band, and a founding member of Australian legends The Moodists. This is her first solo album in a 25 year musical history. She plays all instruments except a small amount of guitar, and has a unique style only barely comparable to 80's Serge Gainsbourg or a cityslicker Bobby Gentry.
Mick Turner and Jim White of the Dirty 3 recorded at VPRO radio in Amsterdam, with Jessica Billey on violin. 2 parts of the same beautiful improvised song, filled with gentle hypnotic loops of harmonica, violin, guitar, and Jim White's incredible impressionistic drumming. Exclusive to Chapter Music.
Four songs by Stewart Anderson (of Boyracer, Empress, 555 Records). Two songs recorded by Stewart at home in 1999, two songs recorded with Pat Maley at Yo Yo studios in Olympia, Washington, late 2000. Features Jen Turrell of Rabbit In Red, and Matty Green of Boyracer. A split release with Black Bean and Placenta Tape Club. Each record comes in a handmade sleeve, individually stenciled, stamped and stickered.
Two of Melbourne's brightest new hopes on the one single. Origami feature US ex-pat Rhonda Simmonds, once of Ninetynine, Spitboy, Full Boney etc. They play sinuously exotic-hypnotic pop with mesmerising twin female vocals. Light's Surprising Constancy are a largely instrumental combo practising a minimalist, angular style, full of warmth and melody but also a little moodiness.
The Cannanes 8th or 9th (who's counting?) album in their 15+ year history finds them back on an Australian label for the first time since 1989. Again, a wonderfully warm, melodic and funny album, underpinned this time by a newfound fidelity and technical assurance. The Cannanes are a national treasure.
Chapter's house band Sleepy Township pairs up with Japanese beat-pop magicians Smiley (who normally call Clover and Darla records home) for a wonderful pop-cultural exchange. This is Chapter's first foray into international musical liaisons, and a very enjoyable one at that.
Melbourne's two best bands on one single. Two mesmerising, incendiary, dynamic songs from Ninetynine about board games. One incredible, fiery, galvanic performance from The Vivian Girls, their debut appearance on record or CD. Comes in a beautifully presented glued sleeve.
A retrospective compilation of recordings by Andrew Wilson with his bands The Four Gods (originally released on the Able Label), The Frontier Scouts (originally released on Au-go-go), and Andrew Wilson and Associastes. Features musical contributions from Grant MacLennan and Lindy Morrison from the Go-Betweens, David and Robert McComb from the Triffids and other moonlighting stars. Liner notes by Robert Forster. Rediscover a neglected hero of Australian music.
The debut full length album from Melbourne's spiky and romantic four piece. Driving Past include three members of the Huon project (David Nichols, Mia Schoen and Andrew Withycombe), whose recent international success stands this album in good stead. But the incredible songwriting and melodic innovation from DP songwriter Gig Ryan needs no extra assistance to make Real Estate a real wonder of an album.
Melbourne four-piece featuring members of Crabstick, the Golden Lifestyle Band, Sleepy Township and Molasses. An amazing combination of influences as diverse as Pere Ubu, the Kinks, Lee Hazlewood and the Beach Boys. The catchiest drone-rock songs you're ever likely to hear.
Long-dreaded debut LP from the SLEEPIES. Sixteen songs of rough-edged, heartfelt pop music; charismatic, chaotic and very loveable. Amazing full-colour cover art features a painting by Mia Sleepy.
Incredible Melbourne pop band featuring Laura MacFarlane (ex-SLEATER KINNEY, COLD COLD HEARTS, SEA HAGGS...), beautifully crafted songs played on every instrument under the sun, including vibraphone, xylophone, keyboards, guitar, and so on. 767 is available on CD through Patsy in Australia & Endearing Records in Canada.
Another congregation of great egos and personalities, this time featuring David Nichols from the Cannanes on drums, Andrew Withycombe of the the Cat's Miaow on bass, Mia Schoen from Sleepy T on keyboards and guitar, and Gig Ryan, who played in an old Sydney band called Disband, writing the songs and playing guitar. Gig is a fantastic lyricist with a unique and idiosyncratic vocal style, and Driving Past are a really excellent band.
Tracey Read lives in Perth too, she plays simple and sparse songs with incredible amounts of insight, humour and optimism. Maybe you might hear echoes of early Tracey Thorn/Marine Girls in her songs, which in this case are played with Guy and Mia Sleepy as her backing band. Features the hit "Buster Keaton".
Karl plays in Sodastream, and this is his first and only solo release. Here he plays gorgeous folky songs with acoustic guitar, piano, cello and double bass. He has a beautiful husky voice and his music brings to mind the likes of Nick Drake, the Bats and maybe even a touch of Will Oldham.
Three irresistibly catchy pop songs played with huge amounts of energy and passion. The beautiful lino-print card sleeve designed by Mia Sleepy matches the peculiarly Australian sound of Melbourne's favourite three chord wonders.
An incredible album of unique songs by Pat Ridgewell, one of Australia's finest songwriters. Pat plays chords you never knew existed and makes them sound so right. His songs are a perfect mix of Chair's Missing-era Wire and Sergio Mendes Brasil 66. Side Projects is an unassuming masterpiece.