The debut release from upstart Los Angeles band The Widow Babies could have been alternately titled, “The Lamb Lies Down In San Pedro”. This six song, 13-minute concept album features a brilliantly conceived story that pits Minutemen bassist and erstwhile folkhero Mike Watt against a world domination-minded vampire who looks like Abraham Lincoln.

Produced and recorded by Asthmatic Kitty recording artist Chris Schlarb, the album features tightly focused songs that expand into Brazilian and West African rhythms while the raw energy hints at early influences of The Urinals, Die Monitr Batss and yes, the Minutemen.

Formed in January 2007, The Widow Babies got their start playing DIY venues around Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The four piece bands includes members Danny Miller (guitar), Tabor Allen (drums), Elise McCutchen (vocals), and Neal Marquez (bass). The group met producer Chris Schlarb during the filming of a Sean Carnage production and, becoming fast friends, made plans to record in Long Beach, CA. The group worked quickly and in one eight hour recording session laid down the entirety of The Mike Watt E.P.

Credits
All songs written by The Widow Babies

Produced, recorded and mixed by Chris Schlarb
Design and Artwork by Danny Miller

Track Listing
01. Mike Watt Created The Universe With A Bass Solo [mp3]
02. Vanity Thy Name Is Lincoln
03. Whatchu Thinkin’ Vampire Lincoln???
04. Evil Triumphs Over The Awesome Powers Of Kayak
05. In Which Watt Wins His Hands Back And Basses A River Into Existence
06. Epilogue

A collection of live recordings and trio improvisations with Create (!) saxophonist Peter Chan, Between Them A Forest Grew… finds the group performing songs from their debut recording Blood & Light, the split 12″ with Castanets as well as previously unreleased compositions.

Recorded from 2004 through 2007, Between Them A Forest Grew, Trackless and Quiet is the document of the duet in constant motion. I Heart Lung explores a wealth of improvisational material in addition to studio tracks, old and new, including a sketch from the band’s forthcoming album Interoceans.

Credits
Chris Schlarb- electric guitar, electronics
Tom Steck- acoustic drums, percussion
%with Peter Chan- clarinet, alto saxophone

Produced by Chris Schlarb
Design and Photography by Tom Steck

Track Listing
01. Maleem Ya Maleem* [mp3]
02. The Perennial Affair+
03. If I Were a Young Man Now+ [mp3]
04. Lycanthropy%
05. Useless, Useless%
06. Three (Siblings)+
07. Moving Through Color I#
08. Song of the Boatman on the River Roon+
09. Wheelchair Graduation+
10. Retrospective%
11. Moving Through Color II*

%Live at Bluebird Art Gallery, Whittier, California
Recorded by Chris Schlarb March 6th 2004

#Live at The Dome Room, Long Beach, California
Recorded by Shea Gauer April 23rd, 2005

+Live at High Mayhem, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Recorded by Carlos Santistevan July 3rd, 2005

*Live at Portfolio, Long Beach, California
Recorded by Chris Schlarb March 16th, 2007

Press
“[I Heart Lung are] questioning modern conventions… and in the process they are creating music as beautiful as it is challenging. The contrast between hypnotic, driving percussion and susurrus, meditative guitar is a feature of the music. Meditative yet driving, understated and epic at the same time, this is music which courses through the veins as soothingly as an opiate and as sharply as electricity.”- Ian Patterson, All About Jazz

“…you never know quite what you’re in for at an I Heart Lung show– the performances range from free jazz skronkery (”Lycanthropy”) to roaming ambient pieces (”Maleem Ya Maleem”) and frenetic rhythm’n'drone workouts (”Moving Through Color II”). Steck’s drumming is able to stay focused while also including a great deal of embellishment over the top, and the contrast between his active style and Schlarb’s long, arcing notes is the band’s key strength… a solid record for fans of free improv.”- Joe Tangari, Pitchfork

The fateful, final album from Austin, Texas four-piece makeShift:Shelter, a makeShift LP finds the group powerfully incorporating more synthetic/electronic sounds into their live band arrangements. The group stretches out with tasteful playing and, as always, purposeful compositions. Bill Brown’s propulsions on drum kit and vibraphone take on new colour with drum machine textures and Reagan Van Matre’s jazz-twang is given extra weight with Brian Tomlin’s guitar and thick keyboards and tastefully nimble bass playing from Mark Foley.

One listen to the beautiful “Combohooter” or the album’s stunning closer “Death Is Impressive” may leave an air of wistful melancholy when considering the band’s separation. It’s short-lived however, a makeShift LP is a gift that can be returned to time and again.

Credits
Bill Brown- drums, vibraphone, electronics
Mark Foley- electric bass
Brian Tomlin- electric guitar, keyboards, vocals
Reagan Van Matre- electric guitar

Artwork by Matias Coduri
Mastered by Chris Schlarb

Track Listing
01. The Quiet King [mp3]
02. Chillable Red [mp3]
03. Combohooter [mp3]
04. Entered Apprentice [mp3]
05. Excellent Vector [mp3]
06. Seek Better Counsel [mp3]
07. Death Is Impressive [mp3]

Press
None at this time.

Debut is the first solo release from Anthony Shadduck who has performed with Joe Biaza, Emily Hay, ellul, I Heart Lung, Create (!) and many others.

Shadduck’s singular introduction to the world as a bandleader is an intimate and explosive quartet recording featuring Nels Cline (Wilco), Lynn Johnston (Red Krayola) and Ches Smith (John Zorn, Marc Ribot). Creative corkscrews, harmonic u-turns and rhythmic regurgitation inside!

Nels Cline- Electric Guitar, Electronics
Lynn Johnston- Clarinet
Anthony Shadduck- Acoustic Bass
Ches Smith- Acoustic Drums, Percussion

Produced and Engineered by Chris Schlarb

Recorded on June 11th, 2006
at the Johnson Family Conservatory of Music (El Segundo, CA.)

Artwork by Tom Steck
Layout by Jonathan Dueck

Track Listing
01. The Stars of Stage, Screen, and Radiology
02. Half & Half & Half [mp3]
03. The Girl with the Sky Blue Tears
04. Mr. Limb’s Sad News
05. Styrofoam Audience

Press
“Anthony Shadduck’s quartet successfully maintains the tension and excitement of traversing the high wire without ever falling into the abyss of over-exuberance and excess which often mars the best intentions of improvised-music makers. This is fearless experimental music, brash and unapologetic improvisation.”- Ian Patterson, All About Jazz

“Amplification and strong rock elements figure prominently into the music and the album has a proggish feel similar to some of Cline’s projects for Crytpogramphone. Dynamic fluctuations from stentorian to soft, so common to this style of improv, also factor in, but Shadduck varies the framework with some fresh facades and close attention to the spatial relationships of the instruments… Shadduck’s well-structured effort successfully primes the ears for more.”- Derek Taylor, Bagatellen