CD Review: Disco Undead

Various – Disco Undead

Label: Device – IRQ08CD

Format: CD, Compilation

Country: UK

Released: 2004

Genre: Electronic

Style: Electro

Picked this little gem up on the now defunct moviegrooves, I bought it based on the cover art alone. What we have here is an awesome compilation of covers of zombie movie and John Carpenter Scores done up electropop style. Forget the fact that you haven’t heard of these bands and Dj’s before, they are all really good.

When each track played I had the warm feel of familiarity but then was quickly turned on head as the tracks were all given the electro treatment.

Although released in 2004, it’s not that hard to find a copy on ebay. I wouldn’t pay more than $25 but they occasionally pop up for more.

Check it out, recommended.

Track list:
Orgue Electronique - Le notti del terrore (04:59)
Gique - Fulci's rotting children (06:03)
It & My Computer - Le droit de tuer (04:38)
Bangkok Impact - The pianist and the reporter (06:49)
Solenoid - Suspiriorum (04:07)
Tobe Hooker - Haddonfield fear factory (04:16)
Legowelt - Season of samhain (04:05)
Johhny Cortex - 7 gates (Disco in room 36) (06:02)
Negative - Cannibal sluts (05:00)
Fictional Character - From another world (06:23)
Le Syndicat Electronique - The anderson alamo (05:12)
Porn Darsteller - Holocaust (08:52)

SCORE: Jensen JTA 460

So I have a Stanton ST-150 Turn Table, it has a digital output that works great. Only problem is I don't have an audio breakout box I use to have to interface with my computer. So I went online and took a look at my options. Since I already own a $500 turntable I didn't see the need to drop serious coin on this. I read some reviews and found the Jenson JTA 460 to fit the bill

First off it cost just under $90 a big selling point for me, secondly it doesn't actually interface with the computer but rather records your vinyl on the fly to a SD card or USB Stick in MP3 format. It has built in speakers but they will sound like crap to any serious audiophile, good news is it also has phono jacks in the back so you can hook it up to your stereo.

I plugged in a USB Stick and put on some 70's lounge hit the record button. I didn't hear any popping or hiss from the built in speakers, that had to do more with the fact that they're small cheap speakers than noise reduction circuitry.

I then plugged the stick into my computer and dumped the tracks into Adobe Audition. After processing the tracks through some filters I had a listen through my reference monitors

They came out really good. I have to say if anybody is looking for a cheap way to rip their vinyl to mp3 should check this out.   

What exactly did I rip? Take a look below, and for those astute

readers who noticed how nice this cover scan came out

yes, I also bought a new scanner.

This is... Son of Cult Fiction 3

Look how awesome this cover is! I know better than anyone you can't judge a book (or CD) by its cover. I have to admit though, I bought this for it's cover.

So cover aside is it any good? Well just about all the "Cult Fiction" series is pretty hit or miss. There might be a couple of good songs and the rest duds, or it could go the other way.

I liked about half the songs on this disc, which for the most parts are theme songs from movies and TV.  It's an eclectic mix to say the least, where else does Urge Overkill share space with the Monkeys?

I'm usually doing good if I can get into at least three songs on any given CD, so this one fairs pretty well and gets my recommendation for a buy, now I have a clean copy of the A-Team theme song to jam out to in my van.

CD Artwork is equally awesome

Scan & Stitch

At my old place I had a corner of a room where I could set up a little makeshift photo booth complete with soft lighting. I used it to take snapshots of stuff I was selling on ebay as well as things I wanted pictures of like LP covers, toys, and even movie posters.

At my new place I just don't have the room, also my really nice cannon gave up the ghost. I still have a small pocket digital camera but it's really not the same. It does ok photoing small stuff, but LP covers and huge movie posters are a pain in the ass.

Not that it was easy when I had a dedicated space, it would take me sometimes 15 to 20 tries to get a centered squared picture. I had looked into scanning large images and stitching them together with software, but at the time (3 years ago) the software and results just wasn't were I wanted them to be.

Last night after miserably failing at taking some photos of some original artwork I got the idea to give the whole image scan and stitch thing another try. I downloaded five pieces of software last night. Some trial versions, others completely free, and one I already owned.

I was looking for the simplest route, add the separate images hit a button sit back and wait for a big finished picture. I was also looking for a tool that would let me tweak the individual parts to my liking. I won't go into detail about the ones I didn't like but rather the ones that produced the best results without much fiddling.

AutoStitch [download]

Very simple to use program that produced great results on almost always the first try. The Windows app is free for noncommercial use, Mac users are out of luck with the exception of an iphone version.

Photoshop CS3 Auto-Align & Auto-Blend Tools [download]

I haven't upgraded my copy of Photoshop for a couple of years but I really don't see the need, CS3 does everything it's always done and I'm still finding new tools to use everyday like the auto align/blend tools. These two tools work in tandem to make great single images out of a lot of smaller ones. I like that it's all done in the same Photoshop interface we have all grown to know. It gives you great control over each image. If you already own Photoshop it's worth searching for some tutorials on image stitching rather than buying a standalone app.

Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE) [download]

I know it's hard to believe that Micro$oft produced something worth while that's not only free but also works rather well. How good does it work? This was the only program I was able to load a really big composite into and get a near perfect picture the first time. If your a Window's user it well worth the download.

Below are some examples of my stitch's. Note: I used a really cheap thin profile flatbed scanner I took the lid off of and turned upside down on the covers and posters. It's really a crappy scanner, producing scan lines on all of my pictures. The same results can be produced with out the lines if a better quality scanner is used.

AutoStitch was responsible for this one, this was the

result after the first try, not perfect but still very good

This one was done in Photoshop, almost perfect if it

wasn't for the scan lines

The back cover, look how well Photoshop lined up the
small text without much tweaking

Satanik OST Picture disc, Stitched with M.S. ICE

A true testament on how well M.S. ICE works

5 rows of 6 separate images, 30 images total

This was the outcome, first try.

SCORE: New Vinyl

Found a couple of great deals while scouring ebay for cheesecake LP covers.

Great lounge style orchestral arrangements

and a great saucy cover to boot

 

Soul music all with a central theme of Summer
scored for $5 including shipping

 Ok, not Cheesecake at all but awesome none
the less, got this numbered limited edition for

a ten spot 

Random Covers: Sexy/Cool Edition

Frankenstein the Sex Offender

 

Call me perverted but I think there's something

inappropriate for kids about this cover

The Phantom has size issues

Sexy couple indeed

More than Brothers?

Something to get excited about

Fetish Vinyl, nuff' said

download HERE

 Cute Asian Edition

Some of the above covers were harvested from LP Cover Lover

Check them out for all sorts of rare LP Covers

Recent Downloads

I review a lot of stuff I download, I don't always link to where I downloaded it. The main reason is the fact that most of the download links I originally got the stuff from has expired and no longer works. Below is some stuff I've downloaded lately and really enjoyed, this time I've added the links to the websites where you can download this stuff.

Alley Cat 1-6 (Comic Book .cbr zipped)
Link: Axon Cozy Smut
Info: Great sharity site focusing on super heroine smut
[warning] site NSFW















Rouge Force (DVD 5, R1 Untouched)

Link: Cosmogeddon

Info: Supplying the people really rare out of print DVDs

Rockem, Sockem Werewolves (fan made compilation of songs featured in films)

Link: The Manchester Morgue
Info: The go to site for hard to find and o.o.p. Sound Tracks and Movie Scores

Review: This is Skateboard Music

Skateboarding Music, what comes to mind, Punk, Hardcore Metal, Dub and Ska? That my be what ultimately came to be known as "skate music", but there was a time when skateboarding was a popular new fad and the skaters themselves had yet to identify themselves with one type of music.

Just like today when a fad burst on the scene that's as big as skateboarding there are industry people ready to make a buck off of it. As an interesting footnote in the story of modern skateboarding there was a time when skateboarding didn't have a defined sound, and the music industry tried (and failed) to make it's own brand of skateboard music.

Released by the German label Diggler "This is Skateboard Music" collects all the sad failed attempts to cash in on the new craze of skateboarding.

With most the music sounding like bad renditions of Beach Boys songs it was obvious that the record companies thought that surf style music would translate over good to the skateboard scene. Other examples are typical pop tunes of the 70's with skateboarding as a central theme.

This is a really cool collection, and something of an oddity. It would be fun to let a modern day "skate punk" sit down and listen to this all the way through and ask their opinion on the very first examples of skateboarding music.

Order it here, listen here.

RetroCrush #002: Nancy Sinatra

Name: Nancy Sandra Sinatra
Date of Birth: June 8, 1940 (age 71)
Home Town: Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Occupations: Singer, Actress
Prime Years: 1965–1995

Born to the world famous American crooner Frank Sinatra, daughter Nancy could have lived in her father’s shadow forever. Luckily she was born with certain assets that made her a star in her own right.

Starting her career in 1961 as a teen pop singer, Nancy soon grew to be a sex-pot singing about sexual innuendos and acting in Beach Movies where she wore a bikini and showed off her beautiful body.

Alternating between the years as a Singer and Actor Nancy chose parts in movies and songs she sung that were of a mature nature. It’s quite obvious she didn’t want to be seen as daddy’s little girl.

With provocative album covers, and publicity stills Nancy has shown off her nice build on numerous occasions. It wasn’t until 1995 at the age of 45 that she let the world see everything she had to offer in the way of a Playboy spread. Surprisingly she still looked really good.

The playboy layout was of course airbrushed and her face did look a little tight like some plastic surgery had taken place but her body was just as good as that months centerfold. A true testament to a hard working lady.  

As of this writing she is now 71 and doesn’t look so good anymore, but at 71 who does? Still if she were to do another Playboy spread today, I have to admit I would be at the local Circle K buying a copy. Nancy, here’s to you. 

  

Chill Out, Chick

Since getting SiriusXM I've pretty much listened to it non-stop. One of the great things about satellite radio is they play so much music continually you get to hear stuff you probably have never heard of. I've been tuning into Channel #53 Chill. It's all Chill-Out, Down Tempo, Ambient stuff. I have caught myself jotting down performers names and song titles to track down. Below is a list of some great down tempo stuff all from female performers. 

Lights

Song: Cactus in the Valley

LINK

Azure Ray

Song: Wake Up, Sleepyhead

LINK

Telepopmusik

Song: Breath

LINK

Tracey Thorn

Song: Night Time

LINK