RESTAURNAUT / WICA INTINA split "That Too Long Hour Never Dim Enough To Sleep" C62 (Kerchow Records)

Unapologetically Raw and Simple, Nick Dolezal AKA Restaurnaut AKA head honcho over at Kerchow Records in Chino, CA draws his power from being both intimate AND anthemic, kicking out simple yet freakfolktastic ditties that cannot be ignored, with all the candor, Lo-Fi aesthetic, and insight of early Modest Mouse demos and Daniel Johnston! His half-hour side is captivating, inspiring, and not to be missed, if the earliest Devendra Banhart tickles your fancy. I know I’m referencing a lot of others, but those others were pretty great, and so is this, only, like, y’know, different.

Side B, Wica Intina, is almost the reverse. Though equally as intimate and honest, it comes off like your best friend pouring their heart out (via folk guitar) after a long, monotonous day. It’s real. Depression is rough. Being real is rough. And depressing. As is this side.

If you’re lucky enough to grab this tape before it sells out, you’re in for a wild ride, and then a sobering one. Nice pairing Kerchow!!! Comes with a fancy lyric sheet, as shown below.

https://restaurnaut.bandcamp.com/album/that-too-long-hour-never-dim-enough-to-sleep

-- Jacob An Kittenplan

“KERCHINGLE #5 - I E-mailed You An .Mp3”(Kerchow Records)

This compilation tape from “Various Artists” is a compilation of 60 10 second tracks. The result is an interesting listen when playing the tape, the mind attaches itself to the feeling and tempo of each track while also getting used to each track changing perfectly every 10 seconds. Ideally the tape is played all the way through when listening to the album, as if it were one track. Each track is noisy and spontaneous, playing off of the drastic changes with respect to each track before it. The quick changes gives the album it’s own feeling, and the collage of these specifically chosen tracks makes the album it’s own piece. Though the artists and what tracks are on this tape is up for interpretation, the tracks flow nicely and give the tape a distinct listening experience.

https://kerchowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/kerchingle-5-i-e-mailed-you-an-mp3

-- Lucas Martinez

???? “??1” (Kerchow Records)

The Kerchow label is a small cassette only label out of chino hills. I have had the pleasure of having have them writ for some time now, and sending various expenditures my way. They always catch me eyes, but I have no time to write, and thus like most hard working men I cant divert my exercise routine to typing on computer, as much as I should, and instead  - let you all sit listless.

Though - - - this new one. Lets call it “mystery tape number one” – really grabbed me. It’s a short jaunt, and it eclipses everything I kinda love about music. Its abstract, obscure, semi-poetic, grabbing and strangling, head scratching, and is above all – mysterious. ??????

It’s a sorta collage of pre-recorded dump (I think) All mixed in a haze, but making a conformed statement. I have done my time in sound collage myself, and I always enjoyed doing something in a similar vein. In where it just grasps the hint of melody or structure, while melding all these obtuse parts together. At times its really just about repetition, and simple and maybe not messed with too much.

Its confounding…cause its really good. So yas should go get it. Its probly pocket change anyway.

https://kerchowrecords.bandcamp.com/

--- c. fischer

ARKLIGHT “Calling Them Out [Kerrchingle #3]”(Kerchow! Records)

Are you feeling like an ass, hazed over from bad booze, bad food, maybe a bit too many games of Trivial Pursuit with your wacky family? Arklight is here to help, because once you crack your eyelids at the morning sunbeams, you only have about six minutes or so to listen to music before you have go back to sleep. Just enough time to hit play, take a leak, grab a handful of Advil, chug a huge glass of water (for rehydration), and hit stop again. You don’t want anything you need to think too hard about, you just want that old, fuzzy Yo La Tengo vibe, like the one on that 7-inch where they cover the Velvets. Or early Dump, or something. It’s all good, all four-tracky, all hazy. No harsh tones or crazy rhythms.

Side A, “Calling Them Out,” allows you to muster enough energy to move. It’s fever pop. Speaking of fever pop, side B is called “Fevered Dream,” which is what you were having before you woke up, and are about to have again. The music mirrors the mood perfectly – it’s like Arklight is in the room with you, but off in the corner, not playing too loudly, because they worry about your well-being. They’re not even interested in properly packaging this single, they just want you to have it immediately, they care about you that much. Plus, it smacks of effort to put the thing together anyway. So no case, no j-card, just a cassette wrapped it in paper, text scribbled in Sharpie, and stapled tight enough so that the tape doesn’t fall out. Ta-daa! Home run, as the Kerchow! cats say. And a home run for everybody. For Arklight, a grand salami, walk-off, back to bed, yank covers, snore.

https://kerchowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/calling-them-out-kerchingle-3

https://kerchowrecords.bandcamp.com/merch

--Ryan Masteller

JOHN THILL “Gospel of the Carwash” (Kerchow!)

I put this on after reviewing two electronic/ ambient/ dark wave kinda tapes, so hearing a human voice and wooden guitar was a real salve.  Turns out I actually like this dude’s songs, too. Moody, emotive, slow and direct, with a restraint and tasteful edginess that I can only imagine took a long time to dial in. 

And, indeed, Mr. Thill has made many, many releases and plays a ton in California. By the sound of this record and my cursory research on his persona, he is a seasoned scene guy who is part of the very fabric of his musical context and plays a ton of shows and has been in a bunch of bands. The music is pretty personal so you do get a sense of getting to know the person who made it through listening. 

At times difficult to hold my focus, the record scored few originality points, but remarkable in its skillful composure and purposefulness. Put me at ease, really tasteful and carefully crafted, and you know what? My opinion is worth little here. This guy probably has been, and will be, writing and recording and playing forever, no matter what anybody has to say about it. He’s churning it out, chasing the hits, and doing the damn thing. 

http://johnthill.tumblr.com/

https://kerchowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gospel-of-the-carwash

-- Liv Carrow

SAM GAS CAN "The Nola Tape" C24 (Kerchow! Records)

Lower than lo-fi backyard-bbq-casiotone-psychedelia amongst non-judgemental friends. Plenty of major chord grooving and a few slower, somber psalms interspersed. Short tape- All over the place. I reviewed this one first, excited to hear who was playing down the street from me in a few weeks and I’m quite curious how they’ll go over amongst the noise-worship cult that LCM (venue) caters to. Pretty sure that if they play the Joy Division-tinged jams at the end of this tape, they’ll leave Oakland feeling pretty damn good!

http://kerchowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-nola-tape

and/or

https://samgascan.bandcamp.com/

- - Jacob An Kittenplan

DANNY LANGO “When You Are Not Resting” C30 (Kerchow! Records)

As someone who adamantly sides with Harry Partch’s disdain for the commercial fascism known as western pop, I can greatly get down with this lo-fi, 1950’s style-reverb-worshipping, pop/folk serenade/dittery. The tones herein recall early Clientelle spaciness, but with less worry about the softness of pitch-perfect vocal washings. Is this ‘Punk Spirit’ or just the sound of the fuck-it revolution?! Twelve tones my ass! Careful background accompaniment fades in and out of trashcan-distant vocals/guitarstrum and simple, stoccato bass lines; a tasteful drum kit makes appearances here & there. Did I mention reverb? I should mention reverb; what it must sound like for Oscar the Grouch whenever he gets woken up by majestic, reverberant passersby. It’s not gratuitous; Danny Lango arranges the songs (or does the songs, like, totally arrange DL, man?) so that the space is consistently filled with bubble-gum-s(t)icky hooks that us listeners will only later realize we’ve been laced with such deeply buried, noisy additives.

http://kerchowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/when-you-are-not-restingand/or

- - Jacob An Kittenplan

RESTAURNAUT"When The Hue Was More" (Almost Halloween Time Records)(Kerchow!)(Stagnant Fjord Recordings)

Restaunaut is defined as “One who very commonly eats out, and is recognized easily by waitstaff.” It is also the alias for Nick Dolezal of Fresno, CA. This cassette falls roughly in the middle of his discography which include 14 albums, most of them recorded over the past year or so. Most of his work is pretty freak-folky, heavy on acoustic guitar, and I believe, ukulele and xylophone. This tape however, seems more focused on squeezing the last few decibels from a dying keyboard. For the most part, it works as quirkiness is well complemented by Daniel Johnston style vocals. It is worth noting the important difference, that the vocals here are more deliberate; like he’s writing songs because he wants to rather than Johnston writing songs because he has to – though the songs are no worse for the distinction.

One other thing I would point out is the questionable decision to passively brag about stealing from a charitable organization in the liner notes. He does this while referring to a sample he uses of a boy singing lifted from a tape, which in turn was lifted from Goodwill. How this bold move will play out in the national press remains to be seen, but I’m willing to forgive him as I know from experience that Fresno, CA is a terrible, terrible place.

There are some pretty solid pop melodies here. The highlights are “The Little Man” on Side A and “Pin Missile” on Side B ,which is like a symphony-to-scale compared to the rest of the cassette. The one real lull is the song “Spittoon” on Side B. I’m not sure what the point of the song is but maybe you can figure it out. Fans of Son of Salami and superfans of Ariel Pink are very likely to enjoy this album.

http://restaurnaut.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-hue-was-more

--Travis Long

The handwritten note that came with this tape said "I am Restaurnaut and I make horse music."  Just thought that might be helpful... -ed.