Shellac, John Vanderslice, Checksum: 1000 Hurts LP/CD (T&G), Mass Suicide Occult Figurines CD (Barsuk), V+ CD (Boxkite)

Studio owners make CDs. Shellac features Steve Albini, of Electrical Audio (Chicago), and Bob Weston, super engineer. It's raw lyric scenarios/characters are supported by pounding drums, crackling guitars and pushy bass. The vinyl comes with a free CD version thrown in, is packaged like a 3M/Scotch blank reel (including sticker for track listing) and has a "MRL-type" voice introducing each format ("RIAA equalization"). Mastered by Steve Rooke and John Loder at Abbey Road. Studio geek level is very high due to amazing drum sounds and tape-reel packaging. John Vanderslice, of Tiny Telephone (San Francisco), gets engineering/ production help from John Croslin, super engineer. Some of these are leftover from MK Ultra's last session, others are more Eno-pop than emo-punk. It's catchy and cool. Mixed by Croslin at Department of ways and Means - mastered by him at Terra Nova, Austin. Not too high on the recording geek meter - John V's more of an artist than a studio denezin I guess. Checksum is Greg Freeman, former owner of Lowdown (SF) - Pell Mell bassist, and Jeff Palmer, member of Mommyheads, Granfaloon Bus, etc. It's one of those "lost-in-the-studio" records like Can or Cluster used to make. Experimentation, bits of songs and such float around. Recorded and mixed at Lowdown, Tiny Telephone and Division St. Studio geek level is high because this wouldn't exist without one! (Touch and Go, PO Box 25342, Chicago, IL 60625 - Barsuk, PO Box 31016, Seattle, WA 98103 - Boxkite, 36 Dearborn St., San Francisco, CA 94110)