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(Bomp/Tangible, 1993)
So I’ve been in New Jersey for the last few days, a mini-trip that was “planned” about 15 minutes before I actually took it, and I’m still feeling sluggishly ill from the sun, booze, pizza, lack of sleep, and bare-mattress accommodations that made the trip semi-worth taking. Which means I should probably be in the perfect frame of mind right now for the echo-y, crawling guitar-psych of Hollowbody, but hmm, golly gee... I’m not into this record. At all. I guess I just can’t ignore that (a) Anton Newcombe had a hand in the release of the disc – it being part of the “Tangible Box” – and (b) his own work around the same time was generally similar and generally STRONGER. “Tangled,” the best song here, is a dead ringer for a lesser track off of Methodrone or Spacegirl and Other Favorites, while the livelier “Shelter Island” is an instrumental that could’ve been churned out by a ballsier Darkside. Whoopee. Yeah, look, again, the BJM was insanely prolific throughout the overlapping period during which it was recording far better versions of songs like these, but if you’re dying – DYING! – to hear some true D-list stuff in that kinda regressive post-Spacemen 3 style, absolutely go forth and over-spend for the Hollowbody 7”. I’m sure you’ll be thrilled for the rest of your days that you did.
(Bomp/Tangible, 1993)Unlike the early-’90s Britishisms of the band’s first single, the snaky guitars and rhythms of “Convertible” hint at an Eastern influence, something that was to become far more prominent on later records as Newcombe refined his technique and expanded his arsenal of instruments. Here, however, we have mid-’90s Brian Jonestown Massacre in embryonic form, releasing what sounds like a rough run-through for a demo, its fine vocal unfortunately buried. The song is similar in feel to the Acid 45 that was included in the same 6x7” set (“The Tangible Box”), and, as with that single, “Convertible” opens with a silent lockgroove cut into the vinyl. On the other side, “Their Satanic Majesties 2nd Request (Enrique’s Dream)” is a druggy guitar-effects collage with samples of a hellfire preacher laid atop it. Entertaining to hear once, but it’s mostly of interest for lending its title to a BJM album three years down the road.Bomp used to sell “Convertible” both individually and as part of the complete set, and around 2002 or 2003, as stock dwindled, they were hawking copies signed by Anton Newcombe.
(Bomp/Tangible, 1993)
"Never, Ever" was released as part of the scuzz-psych "Tangible Box," a 6x7" SF sub-scene document that had #1 Brian Jonestown Massacre cheez Anton Newcombe's fingerprints all over it. If not the entire BJM recording under a different name, Acid is at the very least Newcombe singing and (probably) playing guitar. 1993 was early in the game; none of the snottiness or modstomp for which the band is best known shows up here, nor does the My Bloody Valentine-worship of the Methodrone album appear. Trebly and percussion-free, "Never, Ever" -- later re-recorded minus the comma as a BJM single -- is repetitive, lo-fi nod-off music with the type of hypnotic, echo-y guitar loveliness that was all over early Spiritualized. "Thoughts of You" exists along the same lines, though with a bit more energy and aural meat...instead of a Lazer Guided Melodies demo, it's a Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To track ("track" ...HA!!). Though clearly the labor of amateurs, there's at least enough close study of the relevant blissed-out forebears in evidence to make the whole thing work. Warning for your needle ("needle" ...HA!!), friend: both sides seem to start with silent lockgrooves. Sneaky sneaky, boys.
(Bomp/Tangible, 1993)
