VINYL LP

UK £12.99 Europe £13.99 USA/ROW £15.99

If you'd like to pay in US$, please send email info (at) brokenhorse.co.uk and we can send you a paypal invoice in US$.

NEWS: Patrick Cleandenim is pleased to announce that he will be supporting The Drums on the opening and closing dates of their U.S. tour this fall. He will be performing material from his new album Radio Heartbreak. Patrick will appear with a full backing band, at the following dates:

SEPTEMBER 28th

MAXWELL'S

HOBOKEN, NJ


NOVEMBER 3rd

MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG

BROOKLYN, NY


NOVEMBER 6th

BLACK CAT

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Radio Heartbreak proves to be yet another genre-bending release from Patrick Cleandenim, a recording artist who refuses to be pinned to one style. His strongest release to-date, Radio Heartbreak draws inspiration from "blue-eyed soul" (mid-70s Bowie, Todd Rundgren, Steely Dan), R&B, disco, glam, and 50s rock and roll. The singer skates through a decade-spanning set of musical influences. Nearly every song possesses a unique stylistic space. From the searing and electric raw energy of "Fish On The Sand" and "Guessing Game" to the tender intimacy of "Even I" and "Satellite", his songwriting is presented here at its best.

Financed by a sleepless work schedule, recording spanned nearly a year. Countless hours were spent tracking in between day shifts in a vintage clothing shop and night shifts in room service at a New York hotel. These experiences offered a rare, voyeuristic glimpse behind the public veil of celebrity culture, and consequentially had a strong impact on Patrick's creative process. The album was recorded in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Radio Heartbreak embodies a truly "New York" sound. Fearless energy, dynamic moods and agile changes define the album, showcasing Patrick's unique narrative voice and skill as a songwriter and vocalist. It is an album that could have fit cleanly into ZE Records' late 70s catalogue, treating the more accessible pop trends with a taste of the avant-garde and underground fashion. There is no question that the unyielding energy of New York City has served and continues to serve as a powerful influence on this young artist and his cinematic, musical imagination.

Patrick has described Radio Heartbreak as the completion of a trilogy formed by his first three albums (rapidly released within a period of four years). Together they create a collective context, yet also function individually as compelling albums. The series is an exploration of musical genres, processed through a uniquely romantic vision. The trilogy is characterized by musical manifestations of popular tropes such as the spy-thriller, existential loneliness, the car chase, midnight haunts and lustful pursuits.

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"Over the course of three albums, Patrick Cleandenim has proven to be a bit of a pop chameleon. The NYC by way of Lawrence, KS songwriter introduced himself in 2007 with his debut album, Baby Comes Home, bringing the influences of Bacharach, soul, lounge and Tin Pan Alley together into a wonderfully swinging, orchestrated confection. Two years later, he threw us a nice leftfield follow-up with Orange Moonbeam Floorshow, Cleandenim eschewing his 12-piece band and wrapping his classic pop influences in an electro sheen. It's not surprising that Radio Heartbreak is another unexpected twist in his growing discography, much of his new record playing out like one of those undiscovered gems from the '70s/early '80s that coulda, shoulda, woulda been AM/FM gold had it not been sitting forgotten in a record label vault. Back with a full band in tow, Cleandenim's musical palette is a time capsule of influences, from driving rockers like "Stone Cold Crazy Love" which coasts along funky stabs of Rhodes piano and fiery guitar riffs (to these ears coming across like a sister song to Christopher Cross' "Ride Like the Wind," and I mean that as a compliment), to the jazzy disco-romp of the title track, which eventually fades out in a light, Stereolab-esque transmission of buzzing synths and static. Throughout Radio Heartbreak, a lush latticework of rock instrumentation and strings perfectly frame Cleandenim's expressive croon, which falls somewhere between Rufus Wainwright and Shuggie Otis -- check the soulful Inspiration Information-esque ballad, "Even I." Nothing, however, prepares the listener for the devastatingly gorgeous ninth track, "Satellite," where Cleandenim taps into an almost Roy Orbison kind of sentimentality amidst a restrained backdrop of not much more than piano and brushed drums; the nostalgia is familiar yet all at once his own, delivered with a sincerity that only a handful a modern musicians are able to muster. Next time you hear someone bemoaning "they just don't write 'em like they used to," put on Radio Heartbreak. It's safe to say that Patrick Cleandenim's days of being a best-kept secret are very numbered."

Gerald Hammill Other Music (New York)

Patrick Cleandenim - Fish On The Sand (Radio Heartbreak)

June 28th 2011

USA/Canada - Please order via damonandnaomi.com

Damon & Naomi - False Beats and True Hearts (CD)

"A quarter of a century ago, Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang sold the world that pervasive slowcore guitar sound with Galaxie 500, then split to work as a duo with subtler methods. They have been peddling diaphanous acid folk-pop for two de...cades now, bowing their heads patiently as it billows in and out of fashion, and their ninth album is among their best. The quicksilver guitar of Michio Kurihara, from the Japanese psychedelic collective Ghost, drips magic dust over lightly jazzy drums, arrestingly inexact harmonies and cautious, languid melodies that uncoil like cats in the sun."

THE SUNDAY TIMES (****)

(READ ALL THE UK/US PRESS FOR FALSE BEATS AND TRUE HEARTS HERE)

UK TOUR DATES

Monday, May 9 – Glasgow, Captain's Rest

Tuesday, May 10 – London, Rough Trade East (in-store, 7pm)

Wednesday, May 11 – London, Cafe Oto

Friday, May 13 – Cornwall, Miss Peapod's

Saturday, May 14 – Bristol, Cube Cinema

February 14th 2011






Broken Horse is thrilled to announce that we will be releasing the new Damon and Naomi album False Beats and True Hearts on May 9th. There will also be a 7" of Walking Backwards which will be out in April via the fantastic Great Pop Supplement label.

Damon and Naomi hope to return to the UK for live shows in May/June 2011. More info on pre-ordering/ordering/live shows etc when we have it.

Damon & Naomi celebrate their 25th year as performers together this year, and nothing displays that celebratory spirit more than False Beats and True Hearts, their first album of new recordings in four years, set for release May 8 on Broken Horse.

An album of lush possibility and depth, False Beats and True Hearts fuses the skill of music veterans with the fervor of artists continuing to create at the top of their craft. The intervening years following their darkly introspective Within These Walls has not been spent dawdling. With the reissue of the first Damon & Naomi record, More Sad Hits, a retrospective of their mid-career highlights (The Sub Pop Years), the chock-full 1001 Nights DVD which compiles documentary moments and live performances, and, perhaps most notably, re-releases of all three seminal Galaxie 500 albums, there's been a lot of looking back. It's therefore appropriate that the first song off FB&TH is "Walking Backwards," an ode to the joy of nostalgia and warmth of reflection. The song is cross stitched by Michio Kurihara's elegant guitar playing - a thick and resonating psych sound that has been a part of Damon & Naomi's music since their collaboration with the Japanese band Ghost (With Ghost from 2000) - and a Death Of A Ladies' Man-style backing chorus of female vox and horns.

Given the band's reputation for contemplative melancholy, Fasle Beats and True Hearts is unexpectedly upbeat and strident. While lyrics portray true introspection with a poetic and thoughtful view towards life, the melodies are ambitious and far-reaching. Naomi's new passion for piano playing circles the album like a starry night, capturing the immediacy found in the finest Plastic Ono Band recordings. Like their best material, it's the sincerity and necessity of their expression that is the most striking, and with False Beats and True Hearts, Damon & Naomi offer a vital document of what brings listeners to music in the first place - emotion, identification and beauty.

Damon and Naomi: Walking Backwards

The complete tracklist is:

1. Walking Backwards
2. How Do I Say Goodbye
3. Shadow Boxing
4. Ophelia
5. Nettles and Ivy
6. What She Brings
7. Embers
8. And You Are There
9. Helsinki
All songs are new originals by Damon & Naomi.

The players are:

Naomi Yang: bass, keyboards, piano, vocals
Damon Krukowski: acoustic guitar, drums, vocals
Michio Kurihara: electric guitar
Bhob Rainey: soprano sax
Greg Kelley: trumpet
Masaki Batoh: acoustic guitar

Artwork:

Cover photo by Bernard Faucon
Design & Layout: Naomi Yang

November 22nd 2010

Thanks to everyone who has bought Charles Douglas's The Lives of Charles Douglas, which was released officially on November 1st. The album has received some fantastic press so far including:

"THE BEST NEW YORK RECORD YOU'VE NEVER HEARD..A CULT CLASSIC" MOJO ****

"Every bit the note-perfect Lou Reed/Ramones/Jonathan Richman tribute (presumably) intended. Drawled, fatigued vocals,rock n roll high school lyrics, - it's a fun flashback" UNCUT ***

"Almost every post Velvets New York band to spring out of New York come to mind:- The Feelies, Talking Heads, Ramones, Galaxie 500 and even The Strokes. Whilst listening you can read the brilliant sleeve notes which feature some brilliant anecdotes about the characters involved." Norman Records 4/5

"Most of the tracks were recorded live and it’s got a raw energy and drive that I haven’t heard in a long time, and Pixies style bass lines that are quite infectious. Ending with a tribute to none other than Biggie, he’s quite clearly mad, but I wish I’d had this album when I was 16 and listening to too much Ramones." 4/5 Is This Music

"And it’s the personality of the album that makes it so timeless – even though it was originally released thirteen years ago, it doesn’t sound dated in the slightest. If that’s not a testament to Charles Douglas’ talent, I don’t know what is." The Line of Best Fit

"But despite the lost decade, it never feels like a time capsule – turns out one of the most refreshing alt-rock records of 2010 was made in the nineties." The Skinny

"If there’s a more perfect essence of no-wave geek-rock cool than “The Lives Of Charles Douglas” by the Californian outpatient of the same name then I’ve yet to hear it. It’s like a mythical secret treasure in audio form that has been lost for over a decade & now is finally ready to reveal itself to anyone that should still be looking for it." Folk Radio

"A-f*cking-mazing: a record issued briefly in 1999 that is a classic New York album to stand with the Velvet Underground, Television, Ramones and Strokes." Sounds XP

August 30th 2010

Charles Douglas's The Lives of Charles Douglas is officially released on November 1st but you can order your copy now for immediate dispatch!



Charles Douglas’ The Lives of Charles Douglas was released briefly in the US at the end of the 1990’s and is possibly the last great New York rock record of the twentieth century, following a musical trail kick-started by the Velvet Underground and continued by the likes of Television, The Ramones, Galaxie 500, Luna and The Strokes.

You probably haven’t heard it—or indeed of it. Nor had Broken Horse until our interest was aroused by an interview with notorious Elektra A&R man and No. 6 records label boss Terry Tolkin, who named it as his favourite album of all those he had worked on. Given that Tolkin signed Luna, The Afghan Whigs, and Stereolab—and worked with The Flaming Lips, Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth and Spiritualized—we thought this was a claim worth checking out.

Produced by Maureen “Moe” Tucker from The Velvet Underground, after Douglas struck up a fan/hero relationship with her, the album is a gutbucket kick of Lou Reed-inflected rock music about the glories (and dangers) of girls, drugs, and fast food. Moe also plays drums on the album—because Charles and his band showed up at the studio without a drummer.

Charles Douglas takes up the story from here:

“The studio where we recorded the album was owned by Kurt Ralske from Ultra Vivid Scene, and it was in a crumbling high rise overlooking Penn Station in NYC. Kurt was obsessed with Francoise Hardy and he’d hung giant pictures of her everywhere along with lots of tinfoil, like a speed addict. There was a giant hole in the brick wall of the bathroom, leading to an old airshaft—and the building had a rat problem. We put a sheet of metal over the hole, and at night I’d hear rats banging against the metal, trying to get inside.

It was the summer of 1997, and we all had drug problems—pretty much every single person involved with making the record, except Moe Tucker. One day in the studio, someone pulled a gun over an argument about an unpaid coke dealer. I was terrified, but this was just business as usual. Every night after recording we’d hit the bars on Elektra’s tab and get drunk and go and see bands play. We tried to keep most of this hidden from Moe, because she was about thirty years older than us, and I was afraid she’d quit if she knew how screwed-up we were.

We recorded from eleven AM to ten PM most days, without breaking for meals. Usually someone would run out to get us bagels or French fries. The studio would fill with so much cigarette and pot smoke, there was a perpetual haze in the air that made all of us feel sick. Moe wasn’t bothered by it, though. She just hammered away at her drums like a machine. I was determined to cut most of the tracks live, which meant everything ended up sounding pretty raw. The songs that got recorded were ones I’d chosen from over three hundred home demos. I was convinced we were making a masterpiece.

We finally got kicked out of the Gramercy Park Hotel where my band and I were staying, because I kept pulling the fire alarm. My guitarist, Manish Kalvakota, and I started sleeping on the floor of the studio. The building was filled with sketchy characters, and an apocalyptic feel hung over the whole place. No one had any money and the drugs were making everyone act weird and desperate. I’d stay up all night smoking pot and listening to Kurt’s collection of obscure Krautrock records. Manish eventually headed back to an ashram in the Pocono mountains to cool out, but I decided to stay at Kurt’s studio until the bitter end. The recording process had been pretty fast—twelve songs in ten days—but the mixing process turned into a hellish odyssey. Terry and his business partner Bobby got into some kind of disagreement about the record, and began fighting. Bobby said that Terry stole a bunch of money earmarked for the record. Then Elektra fired Terry, and he left town. So Bobby took the master tapes and hid them. Finally, we got everything back and Kurt started mixing with Moe. The budget just got more and more out of control. But Kurt was a perfectionist. It kind of worked out in the end, because he made the tracks sound crunchy instead of sloppy. Dean Wareham came in at one point to help, too.

After the record was mixed, I quit using drugs, left NYC and moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I was told that the record would never be released. I’d just turned 22 and had spent years of my life writing it, recording it and mixing it. I was extremely depressed, and listening to lots of Nick Drake, naturally. About two years later, the record somehow got released through Caroline Records, which I was very happy about. However, they hadn’t bothered to pay for cover art, so the cover was an old press photo. The credits were all mixed-up inside too, and didn’t even mention Terry Tolkin’s name. There was minimal promotion and distribution, and after the initial pressing sold out, Caroline never bothered to manufacture any more copies.

Looking back on it now, it seems like a wonderful, terrifying fever dream: all the bars, clubs, drugs, girls, and Kurt’s rat-infested studio. The last show I played before leaving New York was a Valentine’s Day party for the label. Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson were there, supposedly. So was Evan Dando. The show was a mess because I was too loaded to play. I wandered out into the street and got a slice of pizza. I ended up sleeping on the floor of Penn Station for a few days before catching a train out of the city.”