News

• December 13, 2010 at 02:34 PM

  3rd Annual Year End Extravaganza!

  Ah...it's that time of year again. The year (2010) that we so anticipated last year comes to a grinding halt and we get all excited for the next year. It's a vicious cycle, but here at Light In The Attic, it's a cycle that we love. During the year of 2010 we all enjoyed some pretty, pretttay, prettaaaayyyy good sights, sounds, smells (?), tastes, and vibes! As in previous years, we want to thank all the people that helped us out. P.S. - if you're wondering why the above pic looks familar, it's because it's the original art made by Drew Christie  (thanks again, Drew) for our first Year End Extravaganza. Patrick just added three candles and voila...artwork for this year! So, without further delay, we give you the Light In The Attic 3rd Annual Year End Extravaganza! Stefan Prescott These are the things that helped me through the year, not necessarily all new this year or discovered this year. Film Kidulthood Irreversible Fired Up! Wheedle' Groove Documentary Music Gorillaz Alela Diane Mos Def Little Ann Andreya Triana Azari & III -Reckless with Your Love Leela James African Headcharge Chico Hamilton Seu Jorge @ Almaz Food Paseo (nuff said) Show VV Brown + Little Dragon Other Culturally Important things that helped me through the year: Record Stores Qool Marv's Mixes Chelsea Football Club ( although this has also been painful all year) Learning about the Velvet Underground from the my LITA colleagues. Gordon Parks Dust & Grooves Vinyl Record collectors photos The Onion Lukasz Lysakowski Facebook Page Rosemary Otero 1.) seeing the song "Tyrants" by Black Mountain, live November 29th @ the Showbox 2.) Jim Sullivan "U.F.O." on vinyl- BEST REISSUE OF THE YEAR!!

  3.) Buffalo Springfield reunion!!! at Neil Young's Bridge School benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA 4.) Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute 5.) Flaming Lips live @ the Paramount on September 27th 6.) meeting Ibrahim Ag Alhabib of Tinariwen 7.) finding "I Don't Wanna Play House" by Tammy Wynette for $2.99 at Sonic Boom in Ballard 8.) Sublime Frequencies' "Jemaa El Fna" 9.) watching Jackie Brown for the first time at the Kalaloch Lodge, in Kalaloch, Washington. 10.) getting hired at Light In The Attic!!!!

  Sandy Wilson Top 10 reasons that Sandy the licensing guy didn't submit a top year-end 10 list 10. Experienced side affects including problems urinating, blurry vision, confusion, and relocated salivary glands 9. Disappeared for 6 months after drinking a case Four Loko with singer of Die Antwoord 8. Lost too much sleep worrying about William Hung's spiritual well-being 7. Felt the need to send hand-written letters to each journalist that requested an interview with Jim Sullivan 6. Was too busy inventing words like 'Fauxmosexual' and 'Procrasterbation' 5. Spent a week straight laughing when he heard a guy wearing a knit cap being referred to as a 'sweater head' 4. Had to be sedated when he thought he heard a Black Angels song on a Chili's commercial 3. Accidentally ate something called Turduckster 2. Still shook up over Farmville beastiality rap 1. His dog smoked it [caption id="attachment_2920" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="So that's where it went..."][/caption] Josh Wright A little assortment, in no particular order - - Moving Light In Attic HQ out of the ghetto and into our new office! - My new little puppy, Maggie (editor's note: not the dog above!) - Paseo and it's mighty Cuban sandwiches...you are always there for me when I need you - Mankei and it's mighty spicy tuna rolls (I ate 10 one night!) - Hawking vinyl at Pitchfork & WFMU (thank you to everyone who visited us!) - UFO, El Gusano, Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat, TL Barrett! Matt Sullivan Kris Kristofferson - Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 (LITA 050) There were days and years when it seemed like this would never see the light of day.  It was well worth the wait. Staff Benda Bilili - Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs) The record's from '09 but I just discovered it via Henry Rollins' radio show. The tune "Sala Keba" made me literally stop in my tracks.

  

  Ellen's Soul Food (Memphis, TN) The fried chicken is to die for. The Tenth Inning (Ken Burns, PBS) Best Blog (Still) – Pacific Standard Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (Lorber Films) Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here, Double LP Version (XL) Sadly I still haven't seen the man in concert. Come back West! Joanna Newsom - "Good Intentions Paving Company" (Drag City) One word: EPIC. Robert Wyatt - Vinyl Reissues (Domino) Finally! and done so well. Junip - Fields (Mute) The Golden State Cafe (Los Angeles, CA) Best burger on planet earth. Tame Impala - InnerSpeaker (Modular) Stop the bidding war and get this album out in the U.S. Winter's Bone, Seattle International Film Festival, May 28, 2010 Give the Oscar to Jennifer Lawrence. Wheedle's Groove, Bumbershoot, Sept. 4, 2010 One of the greatest days of my life. El Perro Del Mar - "Let Me In" (The Control Group) Mad Men, The Suitcase, Episode 7, Season 4 (AMC) Hanging with Rodriguez (Detroit, MI) There is only one Sixto. Reissue labels like Sublime Frequencies who go the extra mile, and this interview with Frank Gossner (Voodoo Funk) - Zola Jesus - "Sea Talk" Jim Sullivan on Art Bell's Coast to Coast AM, Nov. 19, 2010 Reigning Sound, Nocturnal, Memphis, TN, July 30, 2010 This show blew my head off. Erkyah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (Motown) The Black Angels & Black Mountain, The Showbox, Seattle, WA, Nov. 29, 2010 Tribute to The (real) Dude, William H. Morse II, Cal Poly, Pomona, CA, Sept. 19, 2010 Beach House - Teen Dream (Sub Pop) The Executive Inn, Memphis, TN Words can not describe. You must see it for yourself. Ted Lucas - Ted Lucas (Yoga Records) I couldn't stop listening to the song "Plain & Sane & Simple Melody" Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch - "Take It Easy On Kathy At Least She Can Dance" (Mexican Summer) Kenny Graham & His Satellites - Moondog & Suncat Suites (Trunk) Thanks to Piccadilly in Manchester for the tip. The Moondoggies - Tidelands (Hardly Art) How is this band not a household name?  Proof: new Moondoggies video by Drew Christie Dadahawh - Peace And Love (Dug Out) '74 heady-spiritual-reggae-walkabout via new reissue label set up by Mark Ainley of Honest Jon's & Mark Ernestus of Rhythm & Sound.  Look forward to what's next. Patrick McCarthy Last December, I moved from NYC (after calling it home for 10 years) to Los Angeles. Here are the top reasons why the City of Angeles is the best place to live! Dang, LA has so many good record stores. I often find myself wandering the aisles of Vacation, Origami Vinyl, Atomic Records, Rockaway Records, Records LA, Amoeba, Counterpoint (also a great book store), and Wombelton. Not to mention all the thrift stores I stop at. LA has always been a big music industry town and it's amazing how many great records (largely Promos) you can find at thrift stores. Being a musician too, it's important to have some non-corporate shops to hang out in and pick up various "necessities". One of these is Old Style in Silverlake . Owned by Reuben Cox, Old Style largely features Reuben's own Frankenstein guitars. He also has "secret" shows (The National just did one) and it's a great shop to hang out in and pull some guitar strings. For pedal mania I check out TrueTone in Santa Monica. For synths and other oddities, Future Music in Eagle Rock is kool. [caption id="attachment_2925" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Keepin' it old at Old Style"][/caption] Who says no one in LA reads? This town is loaded with great book stores. Stories in Echo Park always has great used books and nice small run art books. They make a mean coffee too. Skylight in Los Feliz is great too. A very nicely curated music section and zines. Wacko, also in Los Feliz, has all those eye-candy/coffee table books that you kinda feel stupid (intellectually) for buying but you just can't live without. Counterpoint (Hollywood?) has lots of good used books but I tend to get lost in the LPs when I'm there. Ya gotta eat, right? Can't live without burgers from Fix, In and Out, Fatburger and all the Mexican joints, Hugo's Tacos in Atwater, date night at Elf Cafe in Echo Park, Sunday afternoons at Trails Cafe in Griffith Park, daily donuts at Daily Donuts, all the food trucks, and of course the Hollywood, Silverlake, Atwater, and Barnsdall farmers markets. And at night? Great bands to check out. OFF! and Red Kross at Club Lingerie, Featherbeard at HM157, Sweaters at Vacation, Linda Perhacs at the LA Folk Festival, Atriarch at the Three Clubs (lots of ritual sage burning and really loud guitars). [caption id="attachment_2926" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="OFF!"][/caption] And the general lifestyle? Beautiful weather, Griffith Park, The Bronson Caves (Batman!), Barnsdall Park, Malibu, Lake Hollywood Reservoir (besides how much a pain in the ass it is to find), Echo Park, Elysian Park, and on and on. Randy Newman was so right, of course. Pat Thomas Winter's Bone movie and the resulting soundtrack on LITA's new cinewax imprint Southern Kitchen; soul food restaurant in Tacoma, WA drinking with Chris Estey at Linda's! lecturing at Bumbershoot about music of the Black Power era Matt Sullivan turning me onto the music of Jim Sullivan and Lou Bond

  

  Barbara Manning playing at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard debut album released by Can You Imagine? featuring Pete Bagge, Steve Fisk, et al. discovering the Seattle psych band Midday Veil via Dave Segal Mushroom "Naked Stoned and Stabbed" Patti Smith's book "Just Kids" Sipreano - http://voluntaryinnature.blogspot.com/ For some reason, I can’t remember a lot of last year. It’s been a good one though, have no fear. Communing with nature has been a prime focus. Both Light In The Attic and myself count ourselves lucky to be living on the coast. At this point, my focus is on the coming year (Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown’s Mowest Story 1971-1973, LITA 064!!!), but reflecting back into the void, these are my 2010 highlights… 1) Shooting Wayne McGhie for our From Yard To Yonge-Jamaica To Toronto documentary: Breaking bread with Wayne in the cold Toronto winter of 2004 alongside LITA honcho Matt Sullivan was an occasion I’ll never forget. In 2010, co-director Darby Wheeler and myself spent more time with The Sounds Of Joy (LITA 008) main man, one of Canada’s most unique musical voices. Against many odds, we are working hard to make From Yard To Yonge a reality. Keep your eyes peeled for more news in 2011. 2) Vancouver 2010 Olympics: Though I didn’t follow the sporting action and appalled by the finances, my distaste for the Games was mellowed out somewhat via a booming influx of people (power) and overall positive vibrations. Sorta felt like this sleepy town was awoken for a spell. Basking in the sunlight on the sunny steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery while tram flyers soared across the sky kept me sane for a two-week spell this winter.

  3) Duffy & The Doubters: For me, the best new release of 2010 was easily Ladyhawk singer-songwriter Duffy Driediger’s latest project. Non-believers and curiosity seekers should peep “No Wild Horses” and “Doubters” for proof (*goes well with pudding). Scriptural Supplies is yet another incredible aside from the #1 rock group in Canada.

  4) Needles//Pins: Really hype on this Vancouver trio. DL First World Problems for free HERE. Catch their new album in early 2011. 5) The Mighty Pope recording with Sureshot Symphony Solution in San Francisco: April saw Canada’s boss soul, R&B, and funk legend (LITA 019) record 2 tracks with US crate digger and top breakbeat don Sureshot (The Sharpshooters) for a forthcoming 7”. “Mr. Fortune And Fame” will debut on CBC Radio 2’s The Strombo Show on January 3, 2011. 6) The Power: B.C.’s Sunshine Coast jewel. It’s a healing land where you can play 80’s records to seals, swim in quarries, eat oysters right off the beach, and communicate with tree spirits.

  7) Huey Lewis & The News: Live at the PNE (August 25, 2010). “Heart And Soul.”

  8) Time Cookie: Best DJ mixes of 2010.

  9) Planetarium 2010: April also saw Transmolecular, BCVCO, and yours truly hit the H.R. McMillan planetarium stage with the Poppy Family’s Craig McCaw on mind-bending visuals with all-encompassing support from Morgan Tanner and family. With friends in town from as far away as California and Toronto, the after-party was equally cosmic.

  10) Cratery: Toronto’s one-of-a-kind mix of vintage vinyl madness and music mayhem starring veteran rapper Arcee, the multi-talented Kaewonder, DJ Serious, and a motley crew of guests ranging from super producer Jake One to Alister Johnson (aka Catalist).

  See ya again next year!

  Sipreano

  http://voluntaryinnature.blogspot.com/

  For some reason, I can’t remember a lot of last year. It’s been a good one though, have no fear. Communing with nature has been a prime focus. Both Light In The Attic and myself count ourselves lucky to be living on the coast. At this point, my focus is on the coming year (Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown’s Mowest Story 1971-1973, LITA 064!!!), but reflecting back into the void, these are my 2010 highlights…

  1) Shooting Wayne McGhie for our From Yard To Yonge-Jamaica To Toronto documentary: Breaking bread with Wayne in the cold Toronto winter of 2004 alongside LITA honcho Matt Sullivan was an occasion I’ll never forget. In 2010, co-director Darby Wheeler and myself spent more time with The Sounds Of Joy (LITA 008) main man, one of Canada’s most unique musical voices. Against many odds, we are working hard to make From Yard To Yonge a reality. Keep your eyes peeled for more news in 2011.

• March 04, 2009 at 01:44 PM

  LIGHT IN THE ATTIC CANADA, REJOICE, SIPREANO SPINS THIS WEEKEND

  

  Kevin Howes a.k.a. Sipreano is master of many trades: writing (have you seen the Jamaica to Toronto liner notes), musical knowledge (the man is a steel trap of information), and of course, of course, knocking down the house with a monster DJ set of some of the rarest, most untapped cuts. Well, Sipreano is gearing up to bring down the house again this weekend and he wanted us to pass along the information.  So, looksie down below, 'cause that's where the information is.  Feel lucky Canada, you've got a real treasure in your midst: Host: Sipreano and DJ Body Beautiful Start Time: Sunday, March 8, 2009 at 8:30pm End Time: Monday, March 9, 2009 at 2:30am Location: The Ossington Street: 61 Ossington Avenue City/Town: Toronto, ON Sit....Listen....Feel.... MOODS Sipreano and D.J. Body Beautiful spin a boutique mix of: ELUSIVE DREAMINGS/PRIVATE PRESSINGS/FREE FORMS/CAN CON CONCRETE/B SIDE EXCURSIONS/ELECTRONIC PRIMITIVA/EMOTIONS/EURO HORRORS/INTENSELY PERSONAL VISIONS/DEEP PSYCH/UN-EASY LISTENINGS AND BALLADS/PRISON SOUNDTRACKS/FANTASTIC JOURNEYS OF WONDER/ ORGAN-ISMS/NEO-BAROQUE *With a candlelight night recitation by Robert Dayton, Junior To Hurting People, Since we are struggling with pain, even at this moment, we have first hand knowledge of what it is like to experience the silence of God. Sometimes the immense loneliness of pain-whether physical, mental or emotional-is completely overwhelming! As you listen to us spin, let the music wash over your brokenness as great healing waves of God’s merciful love until you hear the music once again. From our hearts to yours, Sipreano and D.J. Body Beautiful Christened by the son of thunder, Sipreano can rock a party with folk songs. Born in the east and raised in the west, he roams our fair country to uncover its little-known sound heritage. He is a curator of sounds, archival materials, and previously undocumented history, as showcased in Light in the Attic Records' six album Jamaica-Toronto reissue series ("Wayne McGhie & the Sounds of Joy", "Jamaica to Toronto", "Noel Ellis", Jackie Mittoo-"Wishbone", "Summer Records Anthology", and "Earth Roots & Water's "Innocent Youths"), Sixto Rodriguez' "Cold Fact" and "Coming From Reality", The Monks' "Black Monk Time", and most recently, Canadian composer-arranger Doug Randle's "Songs for the New Industrial State (CBC, 1970). MOODS will see Sipreano reach deep into his oddball crates to project serious atmospherics, vibes, and provide an emotional deep feeling soundtrack to the week's final comedown. D.J. Body Beautiful is Robert Dayton, a personality of living flesh and blood. Robert regularly contributes illustrations, features, obits, and quips to Roctober, Cinema Sewer, Free Drawings, Broken Pencil, and $2 Comes With Mix Tape, as well as the books “Lost In The Grooves: Scram’s Capricious Guide to the Music You Missed” and “Nog A Dod: Prehistoric Canadian Psychedooolia.” And as an artist he exhibits fully. Robert is a performer and songwriter with: hot new Toronto band WET DIRT; melodramatic glitter rock act Hallmark; defunct acid downer folk trio Points Gray; legendary longtime lucidly malleable act July Fourth Toilet; modern song and dance duo Canned Hamm. As an actor Robert Dayton starred in the feature “Male Fantasy” , as 'theatre teacher' in a shelved Hillshire Farms commercial, and appears in the upcoming “Leslie, My Name Is Evil”. Due to his candour he has been a Master of Ceremonies as himself and as other bizarre personae. As D.J. Body Beautiful he spins at MUSK. But at MOODS he will console you. NO COVER

• December 18, 2007 at 03:34 AM

  Sad News From London

  Our good friend Sipreano sent over this saddening news story this morning: "Alton Ellis, the man acclaimed as 'The Godfather of Rocksteady', has, for several weeks now, been in hospital in London undergoing treatment for cancer of the lymph glands and is scheduled to start chemotherapy soon. " Alton Ellis is one of the great figures in reggae and has played alongside some of the all-time legends. He is Noel Ellis' father and appears on our very first Jamaica to Toronto release Wayne McGhie and The Sounds of Joy. In the words of The Observer's Basil Walters: "Alton Neamiah Ellis was born 63 years ago and is regarded as one of Jamaica's finest musical treasures for almost 50 years." Read the whole story HERE. So, during all the joy and happiness of the holiday season, make sure you keep Mr. Alton Ellis in your thoughts and prayers. Everyone here at Light In The Attic surely is.