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LP
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ES 050LP
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John Paul returns with his second album Subjects produced by Ratman. John Paul first started supplying vocals on various Sleaford Mods tracks before releasing his debut album No Filter on Harbinger Sound (HARB 177CD/LP, 2018) which saw him playing shows with the Sleaford Mods, Steve Ignorant, and many more and headlining a sold-out show at The 100 Club. Subjects is a natural progression from No Filter, crunchier and more precise, but still retaining a punk rock grimy DIY sound. John Paul has honed his unique ability to expertly bleat words into a sharp and wry observation of modern-day decay. Ratman (More Rockers, Mr Scruff, On U Sound, Anika, Smith & Mighty) continues to produce the tunes that manages to create a soundtrack to an odd forgotten dance party that mixed lo-fi, dub, and UK garage. Features Diane Charlemagne and Miss Innit.
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10"
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ES 036LP
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Treat yourself to this wonderful (and highly-limited) 10" single from Julian Cope's Dope feat. Fuck Authority. Consisting of two, 20-minute tracks, "666" is a Deutsche sing-a-long from beyond the grave, replete with martial side drums and cacophonous orchestral strings. With raised steins, our gruff-voiced male choir recounts their bolshie nursery rhyme -- a beguiling tale of a mysterious tree that predicts the future. Awaiting listeners on the other side of this epic release is Dope's most overtly psychedelic offering thus far. Off-kilter and raging, this non-LP B-side is entitled "1381", after the year of Wat Tyler's Peasant's Revolt. Unbalanced? U-Betcha! As Fat Paul's cataclysmic FX and Holy McGrail's Space Echo obscure and overwhelm Fuck Authority's vast stereo bass guitar, one can only praise the poor technicians who captured it all on vinyl.
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CD
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ES 017CD
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Produced and directed by Julian Cope. Who's ready for this epic new twist in the Dope saga? Yes, Dope have teamed up with Bristol's anarchic double bassist Fuck Authority to deliver the most rustic musical onslaught since The Wicker Man soundtrack, as glockenspiels, hunting horns, and hand-drums conspire to orchestrate Fuck Authority's superb bowed sub bass themes on titles such as "Cornish Funeral Paths" and the 16-minute "The Ranters". Featuring seven tracks in all, this contrary CD release brings to mind the acoustic scrapings of Wolfmangler, or perhaps the endlessly repetitive themes of Padstow's Obby Oss. Don't expect a vinyl release, neither -- this stuff would just make your needle jump out of the grooves. Dope featuring Fuck Authority is the kind of music that could inspire a whole new genre of young musicians. Buy one for your fave musical nephew or niece and watch them make a cult of themselves.
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LP
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ES 003LP
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Ian Kearey (Shirley Collins, Oyster Band, Blue Aeroplanes) and Paul Wigens (Blurt, Grand Drive, Dave Perry Trio) recorded Golden Section on a half-track in 2005 at Bristol's legendary Cube Cinema hours before the duo's one-and-only performance. It was released a limited run of only 20 CDs. Gerard Langley (Blue Aeroplanes) originally had the idea of putting together a "Sandy Bull / John Fahey" improvised guitar and drum duo and years later the result is the six essential tracks that is the Golden Section LP. Ian Kearey, who last year produced and played on Shirley Collins's Lodestar album (2016), played the six "Fahey"-influenced improvisations on a 1934 Regal Model 27 12-string resonator and a 1967 John Bailey hanjimer which, alongside the incredible jazz drums of Paul Wigens, delivers an intoxicating mix of American primitive, English folk, and early British experimental jazz.
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LP
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ES 002LP
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Here's some sweet relief at last for hi-fi fans. Yes, Dope's obscure "cassette-only" album is now available on white vinyl, again from Bristol's Environmental Studies record label. This limited edition LP features two side-long epics each of over 20 minutes in duration, and both tracks replete with that same gargantuan sonic overload of the band's two previous releases. Side one's "The Dee Dee Ramone Story" commences with Julian Cope's epic tale of 21st century gender bending and sexual enfreeing before its low-key pulses become o'erwhelmed by the stratospherics of the Dope crew. Imagine very early Ash Ra Tempel through the filter of Brainticket's LP Cottonwoodhill (1971), and then some -- er, and then some more. Dope are The-Not-Back-Off Kids, for sure. Side two's bumpy "Absalom & Ahitophel" appropriates the sentiments of John Dryden's epic poem from 1681, then feeds it all through Holy McGrail's space echo to achieve what could be called the most true rastakrautpasta. Packaged in fluorescent orange and white sleeve; Edition of 500.
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12"
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ES 001LP
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RSD 2017 release. Two years ago, Julian Cope formed Dope and this 35-minute long introductory LP is just the way-in. Dope is the ultimate cave holler, the festival band from Hell that plays outside the gates of Glastonbury. Five hairy bastards who prefer bongos to congas and who accept classic analog synths, but prefer peculiar boxes that emit randomly until kicked into submission. The guitarist spends most of his time hunched over a hot FX unit. If you adore Amon Düül II, but still prefer the massed abandon of Amon Düül I, Dope is for you. Symphonic no wave.
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