#The Ladybug Transistor

[balleralbumcovers]

EPIC ALBUM COVER #123

The Ladybug Transistor - Marlborough Farms

Released: 1996 (Feeding Frenzy; reissue)

Slacker rock, indie pop, shoegaze

[bandcampsnoop]

9/2/24.

Gary Olson. He's been a part of many of my favorite bands - mostly as a producer (he's always working with Phil Sutton). Sometimes I forget that his band, The Ladybug Transistor (Brooklyn, New York) was magical in its own right.

"The Ablemarle Sound" is being reissued by Happy Happy Birthday To Me (HHBTM Records) with bonus tracks. I hear so many great things in this record: The Kinks, The Four Seasons ("The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette), or The Heavy Blinkers come immediately to mind. This album almost sounds Scottish - I just can't help but think of later era Pastels or BMX Bandits when I hear the lush arrangements.

Members of the band went on to form other great bands such as The Essex Green and The Garment District.

[stevepasztor]

[readjthompson]

Last night in Los Angeles: Ate some monkfish. Saw Tony Molina and The Ladybug Transistor live. Aged a little. Cool beans.

[kipskiptrip]

WHY IS EVERYONE DROPPING ALL AT ONCE????? FUCKING GREAT AMAZING NEWS FOR MUSIC FANS.

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Sloppy Heads Present HEADS HAPPENINGS (2024)

I was in NYC earlier this summer, but alas, my time there did not coincide with any of the Sloppy Heads Heads Happenings out at Mama Tried in Brooklyn. Curses! They all looked amazing, with many longtime leading lights of the underground popping up to play alongside the Sloppy ones. Maybe next year?! But since we mentioned longtime friend of the blog Jesse Jarnow yesterday, we should at least get caught up with a few of the tapes/videos that have emerged from these sweet summer nights.

Like Roolin's nice capture of Lambchop's Kurt Wagner backed only by Yo La Tengo's James McNew (and the occasional roar of the BQE)! What a beautiful set, laid-back but intense in the way that only Wagner can be. Kurt is so nice — "For all the tapers out there, I'll provide you a list of the titles," he says at the end. McNew wasn't the only YLT member to show up; Georgia and Ira made a rare appearance as Little Black Egg, taking things into the outer regions during a long guitar/keys improv. Thanks to Richard Wolf for recording.

And what about Sloppy Heads themselves!? Check out two excellent tapes over on the Archive (get it while you can?) — May 9 and June 13! I'm especially fond of the totally sprawled out rendition of "Doubt Yr Eyes" from the May show. Thanks to Noah S for uploading! There is one last Heads Happening taking place — September 12, featuring a whole slew of folks from the beloved Ladybug Transistor, a band I last saw ... 25 years ago? Jesus Christ. If you're in Brooklyn, you've gotta be there. Do it for your Uncle Doom & Gloom!

[yourworldiseternallycomplete]

rediscovering my favorite music from like middle school/early high school i was kinda onto something

[argyleheir]

hi argyle!

for the ask game: edelweiss

Great ask, thanks @17panicattacksinatrenchcoat! Argyle Heir is the name of a 2001 album by the American psychedelic pop group the Ladybug Transistor!

I love the pen name Argyle and have been using it since 2003, but how I came upon it was pretty random. Imagine me at my desk unsuccessfully trying to set up a unique LJ username--and trying--when I see this CD sat at the top of a stack ;)

Odd bit of personal lore though that my dad actually is now buried on an Argyle Street...

Ask me!

[daggerzine]

MY FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2024!

MY FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2024 (in no particular order)

Chime School- The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel (Slumberland)

Mary Timony- Untame the Tiger (Merge)

Weak Signal- fine (12XU)

Dummy- Free Energy (Trouble in Mind)

The Softies- The Bed I Made (Father Daughter)

The Tyde- Season 5 (Spiritual Pajamas)

Best Bets- The Hollow Husk of Feeling (Meritorio)

Jessica Pratt- Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)

Ducks Ltd- Harms Way (Carpark)

Peter Perrett- The Cleansing (Domino)

The Sharp Pins- Radio DDR (self released)

Lightheaded- Combustible Gems (Slumberland)

Beachwood Sparks- Across the River of Stars (Curation)

The Reds, Pinks and Purples- Unwishing Well (Slumberland)

The Infinites- Archetypes (Meritorio)

The Lemon Twigs- A Dream is All We Know (Captured Tracks)

Redd Kross- S/T (in the Red)

Yea-Ming and the Rumors- I Can't Have it All (Dandy Boy)

Humdrum- Every Heaven (Slumberland)

Jim Nothing- Grey Eyes Grey Lynn (Meritorio)

WAIT HERE'S 20 MORE!

Lovejoy- ..and it's love! (Shelflife/Spinout Nuggets)

Class - A Healthy Alternative (Feel It Records)

Bloodstains- S/T (self released)

The Hard Quartet- S/T (Matador)

Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band- Loophole (Modern Sky)

The Resonars- Electricity Plus (self released)

Mythical Motors- Seven is Circular (self released)

Sad Eyed Beatniks- Ten Brocades (Meritorio)

Club 8- A Year with Club 8 (self released)

Torrey- S/T (Slumberland)

Pale Lights- Waverly Place Jigsaw)

The BVs- Taking Pictures of Taking Pictures (Shelflife)

Deep Tunnel Project- S/T (Comedy Minus One)

Mt.Misery- Love In Mind (Prefect)

Winged Wheel- Big Hotel (12XU)

Lunchbox- Pop and Circumstance (Slumberland)

Tears Run Rings- Everything in the End (Shelflife)

Nada Surf- Moon Mirror (New West)

Savak- Flavors of Paradise (Ernest Jenning)

Kevin Robertson- The Call of the Sea (Futureman)

AAAAAAND....HERE'S 10 MORE!

Steve Wynn- Make It Right (Fire)

Pernice Brothers- Who Will You Believe (New West)

Laughing- Because It's Better (Celluloid Lunch)

Outer World- Who Does the Music Love? (HHBTM)

Rachel Love-  Lyra (The Cat Collects)

Wussy- Cincinnati Ohio (Shake It)

The Armoires- Octoberland (Big Stir Records)

Boyracer- Seaside Riot (Emotional Response

Being Dead- Eels (Bayonet)

Quivers- Oyster Cuts (Merge)

I ALSO REALLY LIKED RECORDS BY:  2nd Grade, Mo Dotti, Water Damage, The Folk Implosion, The Umbrellas, Laughing, Lupe Citta, Feeling Figures, Flowertown, Trust Fund, Chimers, Smashing Times, Ned Collette, Kim Deal, Metz, Sleveens, Cathedral Ceilings, Soup Activists, Bill Ryder-Jones, Neutrals, Pete Astor, Buffalo Tom, GospelBeach, The Shop Window, Lions of the Interstate,  The Caraway, Extra Arms, J. Robbins,  The Grain Hoppers, The Yellow Melodies, Mark Bacino, The Proctors, Penny Arcade, Magic Fig, Seasonal Falls, The Reflectors, Chanel Beads, etc. 

MY 15 FAVORITE REISSUES/COLLECTIONS OF 2O24

The Saints- I'm Stranded box set (In the Red)

Galaxie 500- Uncollected Noise New York '88-'90 (20/20/20)

Shop Assistants- S/T (Chrysalis)

Birdie- Some Dusty (Slumberland)

The Rain Parade- Emergency Third Rail Power Trip (Label 51)

The Ladybug Transistor- Albermarle Sound (Merge)

Love Child-Never Meant To Be (1988-1993) (12XU)

Velocity Girl- Ultracopacetic (Sub Pop)

East Village- Drop Out (Heavenly)

A Girl Called Eddy- S/T (Last Night From Glasgow)

David Kilgour- A Feather in the Engine (Merge)

Linda Smith- Nothin Else Matters (Captured Tracks)

The Fluid- Clear Black Paper (Sub Pop)

Drop 19's- Delaware (Wharf Cat)

High Llamas- Hawaii (Drag City)

MY 5 FAVORITE EPS OF 2024!

R.E. Seraphin- Fool's Mate (Safe Suburban Home/ Take a Turn) 

Finnogun's Wake- Stay Young (What's Your Rupture)

Cori Elba- Full Stop (self released)

Slack Times- Gone Things (Meritorio)

Surfing Pointers- S/T (BirthDIY)

[stevebattle]

Emily – The Robot with a One Track Mind, by Bernard Dickman, in Popular Electronics (1962). "The strange-looking object following the white line is named "Emily." She may look like a dishpan with eyes, but this "Electro-Mechanical Inebriated Ladybug" is actually an electronic robot of the simplest type. Though equipped with only one "sense organ" (a photocell), two "muscles" (a pair of motors), and a very rudimentary "brain" (a transistor and relay), she's capable of some extremely intelligent (if slightly inebriated) behaviour." – Emily... The Robot with a One Track Mind, Popular Electronics, March 1962.

[noloveforned]

i'm back from my long weekend in chapel hill and ready to hit wlur at 8pm with a new show so tune in if you're around tonight!

last weekend was all about celebrating 35 years of merge records. i joined in on the fun with a three hour restrospective of merge releases (stream it on mixcloud) in (mostly) reverse chronological order. as always some stuff got left out so my apologies go out to polvo, sacred paws, and the others i would have liked to squeeze in!

no love for ned on wlur – july 26th, 2024 from 8-11pm - merge records 35th anniversary show

artist // track // album // label superchunk // everybody dies // everybody dies 7" // merge quivers // apparition // oyster cuts // merge rosali // my kind // bite down // merge mhaol // bored of men // attachment styles // merge carson mchone // hawks don't share // still life // merge hiss golden messenger // hardlytown // quietly blowing it // merge the mountain goats // last gasp at calama // songs for pierre chuvin // merge cable ties // hope // far enough // merge archers of loaf // raleigh days // raleigh days 7" // merge gauche // flash // a people's history of gauche // merge swearin' // oil and water // fall into the sun // merge waxahatchee // silver // out in the storm // merge h.c. mcentire // quartz in the valley // lionheart // merge teenage fanclub // the darkest part of the night // here // merge twerps // back to you // range anxiety // merge ex hex // waste your time // rips // merge mikal cronin // weight // mcii // merge mount moriah // lament // mount moriah // merge wild flag // romance // wild flag // merge times new viking // it's a culture // dancer equired // merge superchunk // digging for something // majesty shredding // merge jay reatard // pull down the shades // stroke - songs for chris knox tribute // merge telekinesis // coast of carolina // telekinesis! // merge big dipper // wrong in the charts // supercluster- the big dipper anthology // merge shout out louds // normandie // our ill wills // merge camera obscura // lloyd, i'm ready to be heartbroken // let's get out of this country // merge robert pollard // dancing girls and dancing men // from a compound eye // merge tenement halls // plenty is never enough // knitting needles and bicycle bells // merge arcade fire // neighborhood #1 (tunnels) // funeral // merge richard buckner // a chance counsel // dents and shells // merge crooked fingers // big darkness // red devil dawn // merge destroyer // this night // this night // merge the essex green // the late great cassiopia // the long goodbye // merge the rosebuds // kicks in the schoolyard // make out // merge spoon // small stakes // kill the moonlight // merge the clean // drawing to a whole // anthology // merge annie hayden // red lines // the rub // merge the ladybug transistor // perfect for shattering // argyle heir // merge the rock*a*teens // car and driver // sweet bird of youth // merge superchunk // hello hawk // come pick me up // merge neutral milk hotel // two-headed boy // in the aeroplane over the sea // merge lambchop // your fucking sunny day // thriller // merge butterglory // she clicks the sticks // are you building a temple in heaven? // merge east river pipe // hey, where's your girl? // poor fricky // merge the magnetic fields // born on a train // the charm of the highway strip // merge 3ds // beautiful things // the venus trail // merge seam // granny 9x // granny 9x 7" // merge erectus monotone // vertigogo // vertigogo 7" // merge finger // everywhere // everywhere 7" // merge chunk // my noise // what i do 7" // merge

[balleralbumcovers]

EPIC ALBUM COVER #94

The Ladybug Transistor - The Albemarle Sound

Released: 1999 (Merge)

Chamber pop, psychedelic pop, chamber folk

[bandcampsnoop]

9/3/24.

Following up on The Ladybug Transistor post was easy. Frequent Gary Olson collaborator, Phil Sutton, is releasing "another "Blue" by Love, Burns (Queens, New York). This band sound remarkably like Pale Lights, but the lineup is sort of an all-star one: Kyle Forrester (Crystal Stilts), Hampus Öhman-Frölund (drummed with many including Jens Lekman) and the aforementioned Gary Olson.

There have been many Love, Burns/Pale Lights posts over the years but I will repeat my RIYL: Felt, Lloyd Cole, Edwyn Collins, and many many more.

This is being co-released by Kleine Untergrund Schallplatte (KUS) and Jigsaw Records.

[ethernetmeep]

14:42 — …more specifically, it stems from an urge to sing “hermit the frog” by MARINA. however, i am doing this outside. pouring rain. i cannot sing knowing there is a possible audience, afraid of voyeurism to anything & everything personal. its odd, because now i don’t mind when someone peers into my life in a digital format, but i think that hasn’t translated yet to a physical space. suffice to say it is merely lip-syncing

still, it is something. every song from that album (the family jewels) has a resemblance of personal significance, either of a past self or current. walk to the side of the duplex where everyones windows & shades are drawn. emotional affair, albeit stunted because i do not consider myself an acting kind of person outside of the confines of my room & privacy..

“OH, MY HEART JUST BURST LIKE A GLASS BALLOON.

WE LET THEM FLY TOO HIGH, & THEY SHATTERED TOO SOON.

ARE WE THE WRONG DAMN PEOPLE, IN THE WRONG DAMN ROOM?

WE BROKE OUR GLASS BALLOONS.

WE LET GO OF OUR GLASS BALLOONS.”

frantic ripping of a fabric from body, fabric that got stuck on bracelets. barbaric, almost. as the last of the vocals spring, i look down at the muddled grass. trench coat off of body, emptied pockets before affair. contents inside of apartment. i stare at it blankly, but i do not revel in the moment long. i gently pick it up & start walking back inside, where i feel rejuvenated from both the splashing of rain on my body & the odd act of removing something that can both help & ail simultaneously. when i am inside, i hung up the fabric carefully. i should note it is of the leather variety…

in my minds eye, although it is maybe not a sound argument, i still see the garment as living. the hide of an animal now deceased. i believe the animal should still be able to feel the rain, feel elements, feel snow. even if the material is brittle after this state, its perfect for shattering.* i still wish to take care of it, do not get me misconstrued— it is just i like to balance taking care & also being slightly messy, providing a mix of living. i do however need to be up to date with my care, as there is a slight tear in the inner lining & a button continuously pops off.. i don’t mind the ladder, the button, but it does make the garment look unfinished. i should get sewing lessons from my grandmother while i can…

*the rivers running at your feet… {are you listening?}**

**lyrics from perfect for shattering by the ladybug transistor

[grouperhq]

sparklehorse

the high llamas

the ladybug transistor

gorky's zygotic mynci

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Sloppy Heads - TV Eye, Ridgewood, New York, January 27, 2023

Is there a new Sloppy Heads record out? Yes, there is a new Sloppy Heads record out! Sometimes Just One Second just dropped on the Shrimper label and — dare I say it — it's the best Heads yet! Ariella Stok, Bill the Drummer, and Jimmy Jumpjump (AKA your friend and mine Jesse Jarnow) have crafted a sprawling masterpiece this time around: 75 minutes of sweet jams, fuzzed-out pop, cracked balladry and even a delicious Dead boogie.

Extra props to Yo La Tengo's James McNew, Ladybug Transistor's Gary Olson, Pee Wee's Playhouse artist Gary Panter and legendary animator Al Jarnow for making this a truly special collection. For a little more detail, check out this recent Jarnow + Jarnow Q&A on Aquarium Drunkard.

I like the RIYL that came along with the Sometimes Just One Second promo, so I'll just reprint it here:

RIYL: WFMU, Mutant Sounds blog, Half Japanese, Yo La Tengo, The Fugs, Seastones, Kluster, Crazy Horse, The Godz, Yoko Ono's Approximately Infinite Universe, Bonzo Dog Band, Pep Lester, Spotted Dick, X, Jefferson Airplane, The Vaselines

You like all that, don't you?! I do. I also like this short live video via the great Roolin YouTube channel of Sloppy Heads out in Ridgewood. Loose as a goose, right as rain.