biological radio

:: I.L. interview on Foxy D ::

2012-01-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to Rachel Evans / Motion Sickness of Time Travel and Brad Rose / Foxy Digitalis for inviting me to do an Inez Lightfoot interview. It was a good time!

:: Read it here. ::

:: Upcoming Sagas show ::

2012-01-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

:: This Friday, Jan. 20th at Townshend's Tea on Alberta ::

Looking very forward to this one!

First Sagas show in Portland in awhile. Come on out.

:: First release by Rivière Amur ::

2011-12-26T12:28:00.000-08:00

We're excited to share the news about Bois Flotté, the first cassette release from Rivière Amur, a new collaborative project between long-distance friends Félicia Atkinson and Jackie McDowell. The cassette features beautiful photography by Ana Cabaleiro and is available to order now at I Had An Accident Records!

Yuletide Greetings

2011-12-03T17:07:00.001-08:00

We here at Biological Radio just wanted to say thank you for all of your support this year and wish you peace and happiness as we celebrate our Earth Mother this Yule. We look forward to your continued support and have some great releases on the horizon in the coming months so keep your ear to the ground!

Best Wishes,

Matt & Jackie

:: The Ballad of Wandlimb ::

2011-12-03T03:33:00.000-08:00

A tidbit of great news from the frontiers of the forest! The Ballad of Wandlimb by Inez Lightfoot is now available from the wonderful folks at Kimberly Dawn in Tennessee. This limited edition 3" mini release is wee in size but mighty in sound! The beautiful wintery woodland artwork by Frank Baugh goes hand in hand with the music, which was inspired by ancient tree lore. Please visit Kim Dawn to snag a copy!

:: Pollen on the Brow ::

2011-11-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

: : :

We are pleased to share the news about a new Inez Lightfoot release, Pollen on the Brow, available now at Digitalis and Discriminate! The video above is for "Crickhollow's Theme" from the cassette, and it includes footage of the same natural area where the field recordings were also collected.

: : :

:: Select Biological Radio tapes now available through Discriminate Music ::

2011-11-03T16:21:00.000-07:00

Some autumn news as November's gibbous moon waxes: We're super happy to announce that we've teamed up with Discriminate Music, a fine music distributor in Austin that we've been fans of for a long time. You can now visit the Biological Radio page on Discriminate's beautiful new website to see what's available... we dug deep into the closet so we could pass along two of our favorite recent releases, BR#10 (Sagas Permutations on the Infinite) and #11 (Inez Lightfoot Nature Songs).

'Between Worlds' review on Aquarius Records

2011-10-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

This killer write-up of the Sagas LP showed up on Aquarius Records last week. Obviously I'm biased, but I feel this one really hit the nail on the head.

"This was another one of those records that just showed up one day, and knocked us on our asses. And while all the descriptors pointed to something that would be right up our alley, spacey and psychedelic, krautrocky and kosmische, heavy and hazy, which all do definitely apply, the music manages to embody all those adjectives, while tangling them up into something all its own.

This one man band opens up the proceedings with some droned out psychedelic synths, sounding like Amps For Christ or Daniel Higgs, the sounds undulating and spiraling into little tangled melodic squalls, there are bells, and a deep crooned almost chantlike vocal, very hypnotic and almost new agey, those droning synths (or are they effected guitars?), get more and more wild as the song proceeds, a wild woolly freakout over that deep sonorous drone. Great stuff, and we would have been perfectly happy had the whole record sounded like that, but instead, the second song starts off all low slung slither and wah guitar, it's got 'boogie' in the title, and it shows, sort of. Loose and ramshackle, the guitars again blossom into soaring streaks of high end skree, the drums pound and stumble, the vocals wreathed in reverb, the sound insanely dubbed out, everything swallowed up in echo and send swirling into the ether before landing again and reengaging with the in-progress kraut-dub space rock freakout. This is the sort of shit Burnt Hills would conjure up if they wrote songs instead of endless jams, infusing sort-of-proper song structures with all the elements of an unhinged drug addled jam, and the results are pretty wild.

The rest of the record though is all over the place, feet firmly planted in psychedelia, and Appalachia, but exploring pretty much every disparate strain, from clattery, foresty free folk, sounding almost like No Neck Blues Band or Avarus, to back porch bluegrass Fahey-y style American primitivism, from strummy, synthy, noise drenched darkdrone balladry (maybe our favorite track, sounding like a muted Merzbow / Portishead slowburn mashup woven into some Appalachian psychedelic creep), to blown out, in-the-red, Japanese psych style White Heaven / Les Rallizes / Fushitsusha grinding guitar freakout, finally finishing off with another bout of melancholic minor key Appalachia.

Killer stuff, most definitely recommended for fans of modern psych, neo-Appalachia, psychedelic dronemusic and the weirder side of space/psych/drone rock."

In other news, BR10-12 are sold out from us, but 10 & 11 will be available soon from Discriminate and are also available locally in Portland at Exiled Records along with a few other goodies.

Peace!

Biological Radio #12

2011-10-15T01:19:00.000-07:00

BR CDR12:

WaterFinder - Cultivating a Void

A recent positive reconnection with earth-energy led us to the spontaneous decision to release this longtime-in-the-making body of work by WaterFinder, our occasional yet lifelong ecstatic sound project, here on our home label. Cultivating a Void is a 25-minute total dronefest that begins with distant drumming and guitar-humming on "Non-Mind," an epic 11-minute call to battle for those who dare to light lanterns in the ancient towers. Matt McDowell's grinding axe collides with cosmic tape loops and the distant vocals of an interstellar conjuress (Jackie McDowell) as the sound ebbs, flows, then recedes again into the calmness of the void (hearkening to early industrial à la Throbbing Gristle...). The second and final track, "Helios," is our collaborative tribute to the Sun, our favorite star; this one was recorded live in Pittsburgh in 2009, and it remains one of our favorite performances to this day. "Helios" starts out with esoterically-generated megadrones magnetically looped atop one another, each one chosen to mimic the resonant frequencies of the largest fireball in our solar system. Added to the scorch-drone are Matt's clattering cymbals and guitar pyres, and Jackie's field recordings and voice-transmissions to the unseen netherworlds, making this a pretty incendiary live recording. Cultivating a Void brings darkness and light, caves and solar winds, all bridged together through symbiotic love for each other and the universe at large.

Limited edition CDRs with handmade fabric covers, paper insert, and full-color artwork by JM.

15 copies out of print.

Get it here in digital format for free.

WaterFinder /// Dronography Mixtape

2011-09-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who enjoy deep drones (or even just a nice soundtrack to a good sunrise), we wanted to share this new digital sound compilation that is kindly being offered to anyone and everyone for free: Dronography Mixtape, curated by our colleague Zach in Pittsburgh. As he eloquently puts it, "(d)rones vary on this one: from airy ambient, to spaced-out U.F.O. signals, to turbulent earthquake-rumblings. Each hugs your auditory canals--especially with a giant pair of headphones--and soothes the soul." Artists include Balder, Buoyhood ft. Artie, D.S. Miller, Ground Zero Mosque, Hobo Cubes, RJ Myato, Ryan Emmett, SatyrElfheim, Tuonela, and WaterFinder.

Our contribution as WaterFinder is a short live piece called "Leagues" that includes Matt on lap steel and Jackie on electronics, tapes, and vocals.

Thanks for visiting! Autumn blessings...

Biological Radio #11

2011-08-01T00:09:00.000-07:00

BR CS11:

Inez Lightfoot - Nature Songs

This otherworldly broadcast from Inez Lightfoot finds her soaring deep between the fibers of the fabric of being in elevated states of ecstasy. Field recordings, ghost-vocals and shimmering strings, amongst other things, transcendently coalesce into a beautiful, 49-minute lo-fi sound collage that is as terrifying as it is benevolent. Harnessing all of her powers like a true sonic sorceress, Inez wields the tools of her trade in a narcotic display of universal love energy.

Edition of 25 cassettes. First 16 copies are housed in handsewn vintage fabric pouches; remaining 9 copies are housed in traditional cassette cases with handmade blue j-cards. Original artwork on both versions by Myste French.

25 copies out of print

Check Discriminate Music for available copies.

Or get it here in digital format.

Biological Radio #10

2011-08-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

BR CS10:

Sagas - Permutations on the Infinite

Recorded live in March 2011, Permutations on the Infinite by Sagas is a powerful, twofold aural journey through both time and space, beginning on side A in Pittsburgh and ending on side B in Cincinnati. Although Matt McDowell's solo project usually employs a dynamic range of instrumentation, this pair of recordings is a rare and focused exploration of just one thing: a beat-up electric guitar. Permutations on the Infinite captures a moment with Sagas as he takes you by the hand and leads you on a three-quarter hour trip beginning deep within the ocean's lightless caverns, riding the tide up through the crashing waves, and ending beyond the mountaintops as you climb the thermal winds towards the burning sun. Pop this tape into your deck and prepare yourself for one epic journey.

25 copies out of print

Check Discriminate Music for available copies.

Stellar Review

2011-07-17T09:21:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to take a moment to share this really nice review of the Sagas LP by Lee Jackson from his Womblife blog:

"Sagas is the most recent solo incarnation of Matt McDowell (Dire Wolves, Arco Flute Foundation, etc), and Between Worlds is his debut foray into the vinyl format. So far I've heard a couple of McDowell's tapes under the Sagas name, and everything I've heard by Dire Wolves delivered the goods via lumbering smokestacks risen up from the most zoned cosmic depths. Between Worlds is an old school acid rock freakout -- vintage to its core, trancedelic one minute, head charging into the Dead C void the next -- with a few oud-inistic ethnic detours along the way.

The first side features three fresh-from-the-primordial-aether jams. "The Hidden Variable" is a levitated organ/acid guitar soaked chant that wastes no time invoking a sense of otherness and sacred devotion, while "Scrapyard" offers collapsing free jazz deconstruction. The real standout though is "Bad Karma Blues" with melting Blue Cheer acid leads and a rampaging space punk climax. Fans of the most destroyed Komische rawk (Amon Düül II/Ash Ra Tempel included) and PSF Records will eat it up. On the flip, off kilter banjo raga is dispersed with subtle percussion and effects on "Hope Springs Vernal" and "In The Hall of Mandos". The harsh distorted oblivion of "Better Times" invokes the spirit of McDowell's earlier solo guitar rippers (such as the Headlong Into The Fire EP on Mike Tamburo's New American Folk Hero imprint). It's surely a good thing McDowell hasn't abandoned this more abrasive side of his sonic persona, as the resulting contrast only further heightens the drama of what's happening here. This makes plaintive closer "Soon A-Comin" that much more of a sweet come down with solo acoustic in the country blues vein, though the whole record's primitive and homespun every second with McDowell playing all instruments in his home studio. The under water sonar-infused cover art is by Brad Rose of Digitalis Records/The North Sea fame. Between Worlds is the real deal, out of space/time holy psych for those who like to dig deeper and roam off the beaten paths."

Thanks, Lee!

Summer Salutations

2011-07-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Sun-filled greetings, friends and readers! We're enjoying very sweet summer weather over here in the foothills, and we hope you are, too. July has been good to us; we kicked off the month with a live performance for an event called Sync'd, which is an evening of local experimental short films accompanied by live music. Check out Michael Maraden's film EcoPome below, with live music by Imperial Earth (Ian Bonnet on keyboard, Matt McDowell on lap steel, & Jackie McDowell on tapes/electronics/percussion):

_____

Other news from the BR front includes some upcoming releases in the works, including Nature Songs CS by Inez Lightfoot and Permutations on the Infinite CS by Sagas, both scheduled for release right here on August 1!

::: Enjoy the good summer vibes; thanks for visiting! :::

Freshly Picked: New Sagas Vid!

2011-06-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy our first foray into the world of video editing with this little homemade pearl for the mega-jammer "Bad Karma Boogie" off of the Sagas LP Between Worlds that just dropped this spring.

You can jam "Bad Karma Boogie" on vinyl any time you like by getting a copy straight from the very kind folks at Greenup Industries!

Thanks for visiting.

:::Biological Radio Loves You:::

This Just In...

2011-06-05T12:24:00.001-07:00

The fine folks at Deep Water Acres have just made the first release from Psychic Frost available and they look fantastic! Here's what they have to say about it:

"Psychic Frost is the new duo project from Pittsburgh-based sonic insurrectionists Mike Tamburo and Matt McDowell; while both are better known for their solo work, they’ve also played together in various forms for over a decade. This is their first recorded outing under the PF banner, and it’s a doozy – a pair of lengthy (side-long, they used to call ‘em) pieces of form-extension and –destruction, the first an epic composition for two guitars and effects, with modular sections shifting from dual fingerpicking to walls of looping noise and beyond; the second a live recording for amplified hammered dulcimer and what sounds like an electric oud, exorcising the demons via intense improvisational interplay on a modal theme of indeterminate Eastness. Best experienced via full-body immersion, so check your short attention span at the door and get ready to, as they say, “Taste the Frost”."

Sold out through BR.

Recent Live Sounds

2011-06-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

Summer is surely coming! The garage door was wide open between sets at The Shop in Pittsburgh last night at the Yellow Crystal Star/Pregnant Spore/Burnout Warcry/WaterFinder show. Here's a recording of our WaterFinder set for those who'd like to have a listen...

WaterFinder - Live at The Shop 6.1.11 by WaterFinder

Event Horizon

2011-05-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

Just some words about what's up and coming for us around here... We've got a few shows in the works. Sagas is performing next Monday 5/30 at a little Memorial Day BBQ with Weyes Blood, who is supporting her new album on Not Not Fun, along with Angels in America (Ecstatic Peace) and local faves Tusk Lord. Details are vague, but I believe this will be at Helter Shelter. Then on Wednesday 6/1 WaterFinder will be shaking the dust off to perform with Yellow Crystal Star, Pregnant Spore, both from Baltimore, plus locals Triangle & Rhino. Catch this one at The Shop.

Later this year you can look for a Dire Wolves release on Weird Forest. In the meantime you can catch WF honcho Davy Bui on tour with the excellent Garrincha & the Stolen Elk. With two killer tapes already under their belt (on 905 and Stunned, respectively), they'll be heading this way, hopefully with their new CD/LP Void in tow. You can catch them here in Pittsburgh at the Shop on Wed. 7/6 with Gangwish and a special collaboration between WaterFinder and our friend Pete Fosco from Cincinnati. Pete, of course, is the man behind Greenup Industries, and he can coax some of the most fried textures out of a guitar this side of the Mississippi. Should be a burner!

Also be on the lookout this summer for some new tapes on Biological Radio from Sal Farina (Sundog Peacehouse) and Great Blue Heron (Ian from Dire Wolves) as well as Inez Lightfoot. More on that later...

Lunar Ramblings

2011-05-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Greetings all! Spring is in full effect here at Crickhollow and the releases keep coming! Our own Inez Lightfoot just came out with a killer split tape with Je Suis le Petit Chevalier (a.k.a. Felicia Atkinson) courtesy of Stunned Records and boy does it sound great!!! It's especially inspiring that, in a primarily male-dominated sphere, two amazing women can be found on one powerhouse release! Out of stock at the source, it can be had from the fine folks at Discriminate. Look for Inez's next release Gatherer in the coming weeks on Ruralfaune. Later this summer we will be releasing her Nature Songs here on Biological Radio. Stay tuned!

Also coming soon is the premier release by Psychic Frost, which is the name finally given to the long-standing collaboration between Matt McDowell and Mike Tamburo. That will be available from the boys at Deep Water Acres very soon.

And for those who haven't gotten one of the Sagas LPs yet, get one while you can! They're available from Greenup Industries, from Discriminate Music, or directly from us by clicking the "Add to Cart" button below:

That's about it for now. Be well!

Recent Live Sounds

2011-03-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

From the Between Worlds release show...

Sagas Live in Cincinnati 3.19.11

Record Release Weekend

2011-03-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend was special for many indeed. Not only did it provide the biggest full moon in decades as well as the spring equinox, it was also the Sagas Record Release Weekend in both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, courtesy of the brand-new Greenup Industries record label run by our friend and fellow musician, the talented Mr. Pete Fosco. I tell you, it certainly was a grand celebration of music and friendship in honor of the anxiously-awaited Between Worlds LP by Sagas, also known as the founder of Biological Radio, Matt McDowell!

I'm an enthusiastic archivist of life events and also a sentimental fool, so here is a photo journey for you of the weekend's events. Matt or I will also be posting some live recordings from this weekend once they are ready, so check back!

*Congratulations, Sagas!*

-Jax

The LP, front and back, with a sweet Greenup Industries sticker!

Pittsburgh show flier.

What's a party without some (cup)cake?

Inez opening the show at The Shop.

Rad flier by Pete for the show in Cincinnati - love the hidden Nada Brahma!

Wasteland Jazz Unit opening the show at Marburg Hotel.

Adam (from Fractal Fractal) played a lovely solo set with drum and vocals.

Pete Fosco's powerful set at Marburg Hotel.

Sagas bringing the house down!

My nerdy photo of the LP on the merch table. C'mon, it's exciting!

The century-old Marburg Hotel venue by night.

"Breakfast is the best meal of the day." YES!

The mother!

Last stop in Cincinnati, Shake It Records. We had an amazing weekend.

Thank you so much for everything, Pete & Heather!

Sagas write-up in Pop City Media

2011-03-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

From Pop City Media's 'Filter' on 3/16/11:

Underground Sounds: Sagas Record Release

MARCH 18, 8:30 P.M.

THE SHOP (4314 MAIN ST.)

"Pittsburgh's underground and experimental music scenes seem to be enjoying an infusion of creative energies and outlets, from the recent Fantastic Voyagers and Winter Void festivals and the VIA new music and media project, to locally-run vinyl and cassette tape labels.

Helping to fuel this activity and providing an informal venue for local and national underground acts is multi-disciplinary events arts space The Shop, located in an reused industrial space that bridges the city's Bloomfield and Lawrenceville neighborhoods.

This Friday, March 18, fans of the more free-form variety of the current freak-folk explosion won't want to miss a special record release show with Sagas--the solo project of Pittsburgh-based musician Matt McDowell.

Known for his work with Dire Wolves, WaterFinder and Arco Flute Foundation, McDowell's latest LP, Between Worlds, is out now on Greenup Industries, the new Cincinnati-based label headed up by experimental guitarist Pete Fosco.

Featuring artwork by Foxy Digitalis maestro Brad Rose, the LP spotlights McDowell's interest in blurring boundaries between rural American musical traditions and repetitive improv-based Eastern sounds. Pairing interwoven melodies skillfully played on the oud, with feedback drones, chant-like vocals, and hypnotic loops, McDowell's latest offering is an impressive contribution to the current electric-folk movement.

Fans of Krautrock masters like Amon Düül II and Neu, or Seattle's inimitable Sun City Girls, won't want to miss Sagas' multimedia collaboration with with Oregon-based video artist, Andrew Ellis. McDowell, who has performed with Daniel Higgs and Eugene Chadbourne, recently released Root Structures & Private Dementias on Portland's Stunned Records.

Also performing are Fosco, Brooklyn-based drum, bass and tuba ensemble Dan Peck Trio, sound collage artist Inez Lightfoot, and experimental band Hunted Creatures."

...

Many thanks, Pop City Media. -BR

Sagas Record Release!

2011-02-22T18:35:00.001-08:00

Well, it's official. At long last, the 'Between Worlds' LP is just about ready to be released on Greenup Industries! We have a weekend of back-to-back awesome in store. Friday March 18th will be here in Pittsburgh at the Shop with label proprietor, Pete Fosco performing along with Dan Peck Trio from Brooklyn and two great Pittsburgh acts, our own Inez Lightfoot and Hunted Creatures. See Jax' rad flyer above. Should be a blast!

Saturday March 19th Sagas is playing in Cincinnati at the Marburg Collective, again with Mr. Fosco, Wasteland Jazz Unit, and Fractal Fractal. Really looking forward to this one as I haven't played in Cincy in years. If you're reading this and happen to live in either one of those cities, come check it out!

Nite Lite / WaterFinder split cassette out now on Stunned!

2011-02-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Hey folks, we've got some super exciting news this week from Crickhollow, the home base of Biological Radio: our split cassette with kindred spirits Nite Lite has officially dropped on Stunned Records! Nite Lite is Phil & Myste from Stunned Records themselves; these two cats are really special and talented people who create beautiful aural synergy together, and we're honored to collaborate on this release with them. I'm going to share their write-up from their blog along with a photo of the mind-melting artwork for you to savor...

from http://stunnedrecords.blogspot.com/:

Nite Lite / WaterFinder — Marjorie / The Good Heart c57 (Stunned no. 111)

"Phil & Myste return as Nite Lite along with backing bros Jeffry and William, and their offering ‘Marjorie’ is a year’s worth of free-jamming and field recording around the mountainside they call home. Migratory birds, frogs, parties in the park, synth & guitar trancin’, and riparian wildlife all coalesce in Nite Lite’s ever-evolving audio mosaic. Nite Lite is proud to partner on this split cassette with long-distance friends & free spirits WaterFinder, who’ve been delighting many recently with awesome releases on Peasant Magik and their own Biological Radio imprint. Members Jackie McDowell (Inez Lightfoot) & Matt McDowell (Sagas, Dire Wolves, etc.) explore a fascinating array of angles to folk, drone, homebuilt instrumentation, and nature-oriented sound in under a half-hour. Light a long stick of incense and likewise let your mind – and good heart – waft upward in a single vapor along with WaterFinder’s ritual songs. Limited edition of 111 pro-dubbed & imprinted c57 tapes w/ double-sided jcard and insert."

..........

Sold out.

..:::Gratitude & Love to Nite Lite from WaterFinder:::..

WaterFinder + Great Blue Heron Collab Performance at WINTER VOID 3 ::: JAN 22

2010-12-21T11:24:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to be taking part in the upcoming WINTER VOID experimental music festival in Pittsburgh! Added bonus: WaterFinder and our great friend Great Blue Heron will be collaborating on a piece. We are so stoked for this!

January 22, 2011 @ The Shop (4314 Main St) in Pittsburgh, PA
$10 Doors @ 4pm

EXPENSIVE SHIT

(Paul Q from !!! and Eric Yeschke of Dreadnots. Killer acoustic drumming and live electronics)

MICROWAVES

(Crucial Blast Records... 'Modern day noise rock for modern problems')

DARK CIRCLES

(Briana Edwards from Soars. Dark super washed out synth pop... RIYL Xeno and Oaklander, Depeche Mode, etc)

FUCK TELECORPS

(The ongoing and ever evolving project of Edgar Um Bucholtz for close to 20+ years)

HUNTED CREATURES w/ DS MILLER

(collaboration super group)

TORUS
(Adam MacGregor of Brown Angel, ex-Creation Is Crucifixion busting out SPK style noise. Cassette release show.)

FREE CLINIC

("...guitars that conjure up Ginn on PCP..." - Terminal Escape. The true punks.)

LAST OF ENGLAND

(RJ Myato and Erik Ciora making some high school fuck you noise)

FOREST DWELLER

(Ben Bowman's wrecking ball of raw abrasive black metal/punk noise terror)

WATERFINDER w/ GREAT BLUE HERON

("WaterFinder drifts between rickety sea shanties and full on free improv/noise/drone meltdowns." - Peasant Magik .... "[Great Blue Heron] ranges from ecstatic freeform avant-folk to dark and epic cosmic country-rock for edge-dwellers and astral journeyers - JM")

RHINESTONE QUARRY

(Noise, feedback, record loops... freak shit.)

For more info, check out Dynamo Sound Collective!

"Word" on the "Street"

2010-08-28T15:39:00.001-07:00

Okay, as usual it's been a while. First up is the fact that the Dire Wolves CS on Stunned dropped a couple of weeks ago and damn, does it look rad! Phil and Myste never disappoint. It's sold out at the source already, but I have a couple of copies here, so hit me up if you're interested.

Also, the website is now up for Greenup Industries, who, as previously mentioned, will be releasing the new Sagas album, Between Worlds, on vinyl record album this fall. The cover art is being handled by Mr. Brad Rose, head honcho of Foxy Digitalis. This release is gonna rule hard!

This fall will also bring about the long-awaited WaterFinder/Dark-Urrru split CS on Peasant Magik. WaterFinder, of course, is Jackie and I drifting between rickety sea shanties and full on free improv/noise/drone meltdowns. Dark-Urrru is a transcendental collaboration between some of our dear friends at Tank 28 in Portland, Maine... Colleen and Caleb from Big Blood and Shon 'Brother Oak' Mahoney. Stay tuned!

Biological Radio #9

2010-07-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

Inez Lightfoot CS: We here at Biological Radio are very excited to present a new artist to our little stable! Down from the foothills of the Appalachians come these two amazing sound collages from Inez Lightfoot. These ears were instantly enraptured upon first listen. "Legacy of Hands" is a dark and ghostly melee that uses recordings of various sewing machine sounds, chimes and vocals to conjure the spirits of ancestral goddesses. "Communications" is a somewhat more serene, yet no less haunting, look at 'the way ideas are shared... not only between humans, but also between animals, machines, etc.' Its static beauty is practically guaranteed to lull you into altered states of consciousness! We hope to hear more broadcasts from Inez soon. In the meantime get this little gem while you can!

25 copies out of print

Biological Radio #8

2010-07-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

Dire Wolves - Snowmageddon Rag CDR: A limited run disc we put together for a recent out of town excursion. Expect cassette copies of it this summer on Stunned Records!

10 copies out of print

Sagas live at Jfry's B-day Corn Roast

2010-07-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a short clip of a recent Sagas set shot by Jackie. Thanks, lady!

truckin' along

2010-05-04T15:39:00.001-07:00

Sooo... the latest Sagas album, 'Between Worlds', is finished and set to come out on wax (!) in late August/early September on Pete Fosco's Greenup St. Industries imprint. Needless to say, we're very excited about it over here at Biological Radio.

Also, Dire Wolves just finished up another release that will be out later this year on the ever-excellent Stunned Records. It sounds SWEET. Arco Flute Foundation's Dissappearo lent us some of his pummeling drum skills for part of it. Damn, dude. Biological Radio will be doing a small run of these to take with us up to NYC this coming weekend for another great show at Zebulon put on by Avant Ghetto, this time with outlaw boogie rockers, D. Charles Speer and the Helix. That's this Saturday (May 8th). Should be a fun one!

Another Dire Wolves review...

2010-02-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

This one's from Lee Jackson on his Womblife blog:

Dire Wolves Dire Wolves (Secret Eye) 2xC-30 - It's been a treat seeing the new wave of lumbering Cozmik pSych groops come wafting up from the basement like so many black smoke monsters. Pittsburgh's Dire Wolves definitely fit the bill with their sprawling psych jams owing to Träd, Gräs och Stenar, German Oak, Amon Düül II and the like (including Earth before the smoke cleared). The quartet -- featuring members/former members of Arco Flute Foundation, Black Forest/Black Sea, Forest Dweller, Sagas, etc -- that is Dire Wolves somehow manages to explore the corroding line between earth/sky, heaven/hell, order/chaos and show how limitless and vast that seemingly small space can be. What I truly dig about these 4 sides is how easily the group shifts gears from a hypnotic on-'n'-on caveman stomp to something more formless with the most insane/feral acid leads cutting through all the dense smoke -- a sound that was made to be heard on tape. Apparently sold out some time ago, but more releases are forthcoming on other labels. Keep your ears out!

Thanks, Lee!

Recent reviews...

2010-02-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent-ish reviews, one of the new Dire Wolves tape on Dynamo Sound and one of the Sagas tape on Stunned Records...

Dire Wolves - Mystical Mayan Age of Musick - "This is like the most obscure supergroup ever, but it's still totally a supergroup. Dire Wolves is Jeffrey Alexander (Black Forest/Black Sea, Secret Eye Records), Dan Letson (Forest Dweller), Matt McDowell (Sagas, Bravepriest, a bazillion collaborations), and Ian Bonnett(Whitetail, In The Belly Of The Whale, etc). And unlike all of the recent bullshit "supergroups" like Them Crooked Vultures or Monsters Of Folk that totally suck ass, Dire Wolves fuckin kills it. These dudes are so awesome.

Magickal Mayan Age Of Musick is a drugged out spider's web of psych noise drone in the form of a 20 minute cassette. Sometimes it gets in a warbled bluesy groove that could be filtering out from some no-light smokey basement club, sometimes it'll dissolve into a empty hazy tin of nothingness before it jolts into a spastic on-off freak out that makes more sense as "noise" than it does as "psych jam." All 10 minutes of the A side, however, are fuckin nuts, scanning the radio and jumping all over the place from semi-ethnic garage meanderings with lazy drums to balls out The Heads-channeling to twinkling interludes to wah-wah blazin electronic static nastiness.

Not sure if these dudes actually know what they're doing or if they're just having a good time fucking around making absolutely ridiculous psych noise tapes but either way Magickal Mayan Age Of Musick is definitely not to be missed. Only 50 were made so grab one from Dynamo! (which just so happens to be run by the dude from Hunted Creatures. Bonus!) before they run out." from Anti-Gravity Bunny

Sagas - Root Structures and Private Dementias - "Matt McDowell lays down some scorched earth guitar jams to tape for the venerable Stunned Records. Just as devastating as his work with Brave Priest, Root Structures & Private Dementias is a twisting, barren journey choked with the dirt of lonelier roads than most weary travelers can handle. Working from the buzzsaw raga of "Murdstone Road" through percussive workouts and onto a b-side laced with drone divining ritual séance, the cassette is steeped in a soul stripping heaviness that underlies every inch of McDowell's output. Definitely not a release to be missed on your deck this winter." from Raven Sings the Blues

Thanks, guys!

Sagas LP on the way...

2010-02-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

I find the recording process pretty interesting, so I thought I'd post some pictures of Matt working on his forthcoming Sagas LP. The album will feature multiple instruments, but in these photos Matt is working on laying down the drone with our electric organ, a thrift store treasure named The Fun Machine.

LP forthcoming on Greenup Industries!

The latest...

2010-01-29T21:17:00.000-08:00

Alright, so now that the new year is settling in, I figured I should lay some updates on ya.

First up is the DIRE WOLVES mini-tour. For those that haven't heard about us yet, Dire Wolves is a blown-out improv psych unit in the Amon Duul II/Trad Gras Och Stenar/heavy cosmic groove vein of things. It consists of myself (Mr. McDowell), Ian Bonnett (Great Blue Heron), Jeffrey Alexander (Black Forest/Black Sea, Secret Eye, Iditarod, etc...), and Dan Letson (Forest Dweller). So far we've only played a handful of local shows with the likes of Marble Sheep, Black Pus, OvO, Subarachnoid Space, Plastic Crimewave, yada-yada-yada, so we're excited to take it on the road finally. Our double cassette is long gone, but expect a new cassette on Dynamo Sound and an LP on Last Visible Dog soon. Anyway, we have some East Coast dates coming up very soon.

Fri. 2/5 - Philly @ The Crooked Shoe w/ Kutschty Rye Ergot (ex-Kohoutek) & Lux Diffusion

Sat. 2/6 - Providence @ AS220 w/ Arcing, Alec K Redfearn & the Eyesores, Bellows, Hector 3...

Sun. 2/7 - Brooklyn @ Zebulon w/ Samara Lubelski/Pete Nolan & Marc Orleans/Steve Gunn

Wed. 2/10 - Pittsburgh @ MoGlo w/ Theo Angell (ex-Jackie-O-Motherfucker)

WaterFinder will be playing at Morning Glory in Pittsburgh as part of Mike Tamburo's Voyagers festival, March 6-7. Other acts include Mr. Tamburo himself, R. Keenan Lawler, Eric Carbonara, Enumclaw, and a crapload of others.

Sagas is currently working on an LP for Pete Fosco's new label, Greenup St. Industries. More on that soon.

Well, that's about it for now. Stay warm.

WaterFinder Tour

2009-10-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

After putting together WaterFinder's first release, The Third Road, we hit the road and played four shows spread out comfortably over about a week and a half. Our first show was in Northampton, Massachusetts, where we played a house show along with two phenomenal musicians, Tom Kovacevic (kind of like if Roy Harper played the oud - amazing!) and Micah Blue Smaldone (beautiful avant folk); we then continued on to Portland, Maine, where we played at a wonderful new art space called Apohadion with Dark-Urrru, a magical musical collaboration including members of Big Blood and Brother Oak, and once again with Tom Kovacevic, much to our delight! We then said our fond goodbyes to our dear friends in Maine and headed westward for a couple more shows: one in Louisville, Kentucky, where we played a house show with power trio Captain Ron Today (which includes the drumming talent of another dear friend of ours, Jeff Komara) and one final show in Bloomington, Indiana, at a new venue called The Bishop where we shared a bill with two awesome locals, Drekka (electronic/folk/noise) and Os (power duo, heavy dark soundscapes). It was a great experience full of impressive, genuine displays of beautifully crafted music, and we feel fortunate to have shared the stage with so many talented folks and friends. We're back home in Pittsburgh now, creating more of what we love: music.

Biological Radio #7

2009-10-26T14:07:00.007-07:00

Sagas - Six Days on the Road CDR: Recorded live on tour, September '09, these three bare-bones tracks for tenor banjo, oud and electric guitar, respectively, take the wide-open melodies of early American music and transform them into loping cyclic improvisations. Housed in hand-sewn slipcases.

25 copies out of print

Biological Radio #6

2009-10-26T14:07:00.005-07:00

WaterFinder- The Third Road EP: The sixth release on our label is by WaterFinder, Matt and Jackie's musical collaboration. Four tracks ranging from the experimental plucking of homemade string instruments to distorted, noisy guitar and heavy bass. The proceedings kick off with the Eastern-tinged Kraut groove of "Caravan of the Nine" and finish up with a cover of the song "Orphan Girl" by one of our favorite musicians, Gillian Welch. As usual, all of the packaging is handmade. This disc also marks Matt's 30th release!

25 copies out of print

Biological Radio #5

2009-10-26T14:07:00.003-07:00

Sagas - Headlong into the Heresy CS: Our fifth release is actually a cassette reissue of two older Matt McDowell CDRs, 2006's Quantum Heresy on John Fail's Sharks and Pfennigs imprint and 2007's Headlong into the Fire on New American Folk Hero. Two sides of blissfully torrid guitar caterwaul sure to drive your grandma crazy.

50 copies out of print

Biological Radio #4

2009-10-26T14:07:00.001-07:00

Sagas/Plankton Wat split CDR: Our fourth release is a split between Sagas and Portland, OR's Plankton Wat, solo project of heavy bro Dewey Mahood of serious vibe-shredders Eternal Tapestry. The Sagas tracks show a move away from free improvisation toward composition with multi-tracked layers of oud, guitar, percussion, etc., while Plankton Wat offers up three fat helpings of languid West Coast stone bliss. Co-released with Solar Commune. Sorry, Jackie's sweet hand-sewn edition pictured above is gone.

50 copies out of print

Biological Radio #3

2009-10-26T14:06:00.003-07:00

Sagas CDR: Matt's first release under the Sagas moniker is a rag-tag collection of various noise and free-improv tidbits dating back to early 2005 assembled for Mike Tamburo's first Fantastic Voyagers festival in 2007.

35 copies out of print

Biological Radio #2

2009-10-26T14:06:00.001-07:00

Matthew McDowell - Analog Dreams vol. 2 CS: Two sidelong tracks of slow-building feedback loop and guitar ooze. More killer art from Pete Lavigne-Chalek.

? copies out of print

Biological Radio #1

2009-10-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

Melted Prism CS: Our first release is a set of high-velocity-tumbling-down-the-stairs free rock insanity from short-lived Portland, OR duo, Melted Prism. Three blasts from spring '06 featuring Matt McDowell on guitar and Pete Lavigne-Chalek on drums and killer artwork.

60 copies out of print