Funny Motherfucker + Guitar Wizard + Indie Kingpin = Gerard Cosloy

Maybe you know Gerard Cosloy as the co-honcho of Matador Records, or maybe you remember his writing for Conflict, or maybe you saw (and admired) his sunglasses and mumbles interview in The Band That Would Be King, or maybe you don't know Gerard Cosloy at all.

But you should, and not just because of the aforementioned awesomeness, but also because he has ANOTHER label, and (gasp!) he's in a band!

That label is parallelism
That band is Air Traffic Controllers

Air Traffic Controllers practice some pretty nice guitar and percussion wierdness that just sort of floats there. Or, to put it in terms you can understand, it's the perfect music for driving around San Francisco in the rain.

They've released five records, the most recent being Whisper Number in 2000, but there's a new line-up (Gerard Cosloy and King Coffey) and they recently played some shows at SXSW. Anyway, I really like Air Traffic Controllers, and in light of the whole noise scene moving in the agro, Wolf Eyes/Hair Police/Dead Machines (basically michigan) direction, I thought it'd be nice to here something a little more innocent. Like twee-noise.

Air Traffic Controllers - The Rise & Fall of the Phnom Penh Rock Scene
Air Traffic Controllers - If That Isn't a Pseudonym, Perhaps You Should Get One
Gerard Cosloy - Sound Projector Rate Card

Best Cosloy quote from the Half Japanese documentary:

"Not everyone aspires to be Bon Jovi, or y'know, Sonic Youth..."

Joanna Newsom and Van Dyke Parks!!

Pitchfork reports that Joanna Newsom will record her next album with child actor turned musical genius Van Dyke Parks! This is about the most exciting news I've heard in at least 6 days. But then again, I'm easily excited.

Anyway, I'm posting 3 new Joanna Newsom songs, so you can wait with baited breath.

I'm also posting 2 Van Dyke Parks songs off of his brilliant Song Cycle album.

Listen to all five songs and try to divine what this pairing will sound like...

Also, head over to Milky Moon to hear more new/unreleased Joanna, and also a couple of pretty cool covers.

Joanna Newsom - Be A Woman
Joanna Newsom - Sawdust and Diamonds
Joanna Newsom - Suite of New Songs
Van Dyke Parks - Vine Street
Van Dyke Parks - Attic

If the Van Dyke Parks tracks don't work, email me at nnck@cox.net -- I'm sort of new to this whole thing and am still trying to figure it all out.

Happy Sunday.