VACANT VALLEY BLOG SPACE: 2016

Sep 19, 2016

IS THERE A HOTLINE? / SQUIRREL PANCAKE cassettes

VV is proud to be helping release two visionary new documents..

Is There a Hotline? - s/t cassette

The debut record for this Melbourne based duo, comprised of Jen Tait and Jen Callaway. Live recordings at Longplay (North Fitzroy) and Howler (Brunswick), both from earlier this year. Atmospheric post-punk space rock featuring percussion, analogue synth, electric thumb piano, various objects and alien-siren vocals and wails. Strange drifting sounds, delicate and intense extremes, evoking a parade of cosmic imagery. Stream an audio excerpt..

Squirrel Pancake - 'II' cassette

Album number two for Squirrel Pancake, aka Melbourne based artist Jen Tait. In her inimitable electric guitar and vocal format, this follows on from the debut self titled album released last year (VV021).
Dissonant, cycling, and inexplicable free-formations. Hear a track here..

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ORDER HERE

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DOUBLE LAUNCH SHOW > 23RD SEPTEMBER 2016
Aeso Studio - 83 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Is There a Hotline? + Duck Billed Dinosaur to perform
Doors 8pm • $5 entry

This show coincides with a 10 artist exhibition, curated by Victoria Armytage.
Artists involved: Kevala Buttonshaw, Georgina Matherson, Victoria Armytage, Carly Housiaux,
Jen Tait, Allanah Stewart, Jane Hearn, Alyssa McBain, Olivia Vesnaver, and Jen Callaway.
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Aug 10, 2016

HAGAR THE WOMB - Hagiography • A Retrospective: 1982-2014 CD

NEW IN THE VV DISTRO!

Hagar The Womb are a U.K. punk band. They were part of the anarcho-punk scene from 1981-1987, and reformed with all original band members in 2011. Hagiography compiles recordings from both of these periods: The Word Of The Womb EP (Motorhate Records, 1984) • Funnery In The Nunnery EP (Abstract Sounds, 1985) • select recordings from the Increase The Pantomine cassette (69 Tapes, 1985) • a track from the classic compilation Who? What? Why? When? Where?' (Motorhate Records, 1984) • Life Of Lies...Distant War...You Never Learn EP (All The Madmen Records, 2014) • PLUS, previously unreleased recordings from a Xntrix Studios session in 1982.

Hagiography was recently self released by the band via their imprint One Bright Spark Records.
Vacant Valley is the exclusive distributor of this title in Australia.

Very limited copies just shipped over from London, U.K.
ORDER HERE

Elaine Howling, 1983

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Ruth Elias and Karen Amsden

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Hagar The Womb performing at the Hope n Anchor squat in London, early 80's.
Photo: Alison Russell

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Live in 2014

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Jul 5, 2016

NEWS - JULY 2016

FORTHCOMING RELEASES

Due September

Is There A Hotline? - s/t cassette (VV026)

The debut record for this Melbourne based duo, comprised of Jen Tait and Jen Callaway.

Live recordings at Longplay (Fitzroy) and Howler (Brunswick), both from earlier this year.

Atmospheric post-punk space rock featuring percussion, analogue synth, electric thumb piano, various objects and alien-siren vocals and wails. Strange drifting sounds, delicate and intense extremes, evoking a parade of cosmic imagery.

Live at Dane Certificate's Magic Tricks, Gags & Theatre, April 2016
Photo: Kurt Eckardt

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Due September

Squirrel Pancake - II cassette (VV027)

Album number two for Squirrel Pancake, aka Melbourne based artist Jen Tait.
In her inimitable electric guitar and vocal format, this follows on

from the debut self titled album released last year (VV021).

Dissonant, cycling, and inexplicable free-formations.

Collage art: Jen Tait

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Due late 2017

Telekenet - debut album cassette (VV028)

A literal merging of recent and older recordings by Peter Bramley.
A cacophonous concoction of varied drum patterns, raw metronomic noise, and poisonous voice.
A new pseudonym, and a slightly different approach to his Penguins project.

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Due 2017/18

Penguins live VHS

A very limited edition video compiling a range of live
performances by Melbourne based Penguins, aka Peter Bramley.
Featuring footage of shows from 2008 to more recently, including:

- one from Hobart last year

- the second show ever, at Bar Open in Melbourne

- a non-sensical recital at Dane Certificate's Magic Tricks, Gags & Theatre

- a surreal set at North St Bar in Bateman's Bay, N.S.W

- a crude set at Burst City (now defunct diy space) in Brisbane

- the 'infamous' performance at Jura Books in Sydney, never-before-seen video.

Like an audio-visual scrapbook.

Penguins at Percy's Bar in Carlton, 2012
Photo: Ema Dunstan

Plus a couple of other exciting releases to be announced down the track!

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RELEASED IN 2016

Whitney Houston's Crypt EP 7" (VV024)
Released a few months back, it has received some strong reactions so far..

"A noise-rock approach that smells of death."

"...like a cup of cold tea with coal silt sediment"
"The vocals are too intense"
"...it’s screaming bloody murder, it’s murder to the mind and it’s nightmarish to the extreme"

"...it’s about time someone started coughing up blood over a 7” once again, playing as if their lives depended on it"

Review by Byron Coley, The Wire issue 388

Record Of The Day at WFMU radio station in New Jersey.

Copies still available via direct email order, and the VV bandcamp page.

If you're in Australia, ask your local independent record store / distro about a copy.

If you're in the U.S.A, via Aquarius Records in San Francisco.

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Treehouse - Centre Of Their World cassette (VV025)
There has been much praise already for this new album from
the Hobart based trio, and it's very close to being sold out.

"There’s something in the Tasmanian water that breeds fiercely intense sound"

"..must have been a relief to get this out of their system"
Review via 4ZZZ radio

Check the VV bandcamp page, or your local record shop for a copy.

JULY TOUR DATES . . .

Jun 8, 2016

TREEHOUSE - Centre Of Their World cassette (VV025)

Now available!

The glorious new album from beloved Hobartians' Treehouse.

Entitled Centre Of Their World, and issued on cassette in an edition of 100 copies.

A bonus live track accompanies the album download card.

The first edition of this cassette (40 copies) was made by the band in time for their tour of New Zealand earlier this year (with Wasted Idol). That run sold out promptly.

Centre Of Their World builds on their much praised Gathering The Dreams cassette EP from last year, released via Plum Stop (a 'bedroom' label run by bassist Jon Ainslie).

ORDER THE NEW ALBUM HERE

Treehouse at Lake Okareka in Rotorua, New Zealand, 2016
Photo by Simon Maisch

FORTHCOMING TOUR . . .

Feb 11, 2016

WHITNEY HOUSTON'S CRYPT EP 7" (VV024) + TOUR

Vacant Valley number 24 is the Whitney Houston’s Crypt EP 7”

• NOW AVAILABLE •

Whitney Houston’s Crypt are a five-piece death wave noise rock band originally from Newcastle, N.S.W. Vexed vocals, pummelling rhythm section, dual electric guitar assault. Known for their intense and spirited live shows, this release (recorded by Oliver Young) faithfully captures that dark atmosphere. A much anticipated record, it will be the follow-up to their alarming ‘Chairpagedotcom’ cassette from 2014.