Kluster, “Zwei Osterei” (Bureau B, 2012; original release 1971).
Pioneering German avant-rock, pre-Krautrock even. No electronics, just a raging, hypnotic tribal-noise assault that anticipates industrial while making most of it seem tame by comparison. Try 2.
1/13/13
Kristin Kontrol, “X-Communicate” (SubPop, 2016)
I loved the DumDum Girls all through their transformation into a more airbrushed variety of garage-punk machine, but this goes way beyond that into full on ‘80s-style big-beat studio art-pop, like a Jane Wiedlin solo album. Thing is, like Jane, DeeDee writes great songs, all elegantly classic sweet melancholy or spiky adventurism.
Try 13
King Kurt, “Last Will and Testicle” (GWR/Restless, 1989; original release 1981-88)
British rockabilly revivalism dominated by a big, booming beat, garnished with reverbed-out guitars and a goof-ball vaudeville sensibility. Fun.
Try 1/ 2, 1/ 4, 2/ 4
6/18/18
Kylie Minogue, “Fever” (Capitol, 2002)
A timelessly great techno-dance-pop record. Cool grooves that move with the pneumatic precision and grace of starship airlocks, stark, hypnotic melodies, and Minogue’s giddy/eerie vocals make this like a pop take on the second Suicide LP.
Try 1, 2, 3, 7, 8
7/29/13
Kim Fowley, “King of the Creeps – Vol. 3” (Norton, 2012; original releases 1959-1969)
Runaways-svengali (and “Alley Oop” composer!)’s wacky ‘60s oeuvre, from doo-wop to raging frat-punk to proto-Doors lounge-psych-rap; all good, some great, some really bizarre.
Try 5, 7, 12, 10
1/14/13
K-Holes, “Dismania” (Hardly Art, 2012)
Garage-punk with a sewage-thick guitar attack, pummeling rhythms, and no-wavey sax blasts. This one really stands in conjuring up the sense of gutter-level nastiness and desperation of its ‘70s sources.
Try 2, 5, 7
7/12/12