Walmartians - Destination Consternation (2009)

As the title indicates the fourth full-length collection of Walmartians material was a bit problematic. It is the only collection to not include a entry in the ongoing Walmartians (Kontakt) series. It also includes some traces of the previous Annoy All Monsters! EP. Nevertheless it turned out well in the end.

Circular Firing Squad Kommander kicks thing off in motorik Krautrock style. This song came about in part after jamming a bit with my nephew Alex one Sunday afternoon. Thanks Alex!

The brief, wobbly and crushing Infection Hoedown (Dancing at the Smelter) is sort of remake of a song I did a long time ago called Dancing at the Smelter (Infection Hoedown). Clever eh? That song featured a slightly off kilter drum loop and way to much echo on the guitar. This one works better. Inspired a bit by Dwight Yoakum’s “band” in the movie Sling Blade.

Jelly Up and Belly Up, which has lyrics somewhere, was inspired by the late George Karetski of Wise County, Texas. While interning at the Wise County Messenger in college I wrote a few opinion pieces for the newspaper. Mr. Karetski took exception to every one of them and never failed to leave an entertaining message on the office’s answering machine. The title is a quote from him.

Ever worked with people who are very animated, involved in everything, and yet actually rarely produce anything? Mindless, Directionless Reaction is about them.

The Other Moon came about during a walk with Ian one day when he was around 2 and 1/2. When we started the walk we saw the moon and when we ended we saw it again. “There’s another moon Daddy,” exclaimed Ian. This is Angela’s favorite Walmartians song. Nice Omnichord on it I must say.

“We’re efforting to get that calendered,” uttered by a co-worker once, is the phrase that inspired The Stupid. Enough said.

Tolerance is a somewhat unsuccessful attempt to ape Television. My apologies to Tom Verlaine.

Welcome Home was written for Colin. The melodica bit on it used to make him cry which in turn led to Baby Cry Dub. I love instrumental dub music. Baby Cry Dub is the first track on which I tried to get a traditional dub sound. Works OK.

Razorburn and Acne recycles the riff from Annoy All Monsters‘ closing track Mothra. What can I say? It is sort of catch. And noisy.

Originally released March 2009. Cover image from Beijing.

Walmartians - Are Gone (2008)

The third full-length Walmartians transmission from 2008.

At Zero Hour kicks things off with a sort of late night spy feel. A related track recorded around the same time, Before Zero Hour, showed up later on Series 7.2.

Next up is the first Walmartians track with vocals (sort of), the Partridge Family tribute of sorts with Do (The Kincaid). If you know who Reuben Kincaid was on the show then you’ll understand the lyrics – “Get on the bus!”

Yuletide Transmissions is a Christmas song that’s somehow survived the annual “War on Christmas” which FOX News has been so diligently in reporting on for the last 100 years or so.

The first Walmartians transmission bebobebobe included a track called Kerpy Oom. It was named after a phrase Ian sang over the music for that song. In The Court of Kerpy Oom revisits whatever that was about and is a bit of jab at King Crimson. Nice bit of the Speak & Learn on this one.

If you know who Jim Carroll was then you’ll know why the next song is called Jim Carroll’s Clone Lives. If you don’t then your knowledge of early 1980s minor New Wave hits is sorely lacking.

Core Samples (Subterra IV) and Leaving the Center of the Earth (Subterra V) continue a series I started in the late 90s. This second trio of songs concludes with Inner Core Collapse (Subterra VI) on Queen Mother Space.

Starcycle Road Rash is an attempt to sound like oh I don’t know maybe The Warlocks or something. Starts out OK but sort of loses it midway.

Those of you who get Homeworld 420 thank you. A bit of live percussion on this one actually with the bells.

Walmartians (Kontakt Tertius) is obviously the third installment in the Walmartians (Kontakt…) series. This is one of my favorites.

Ocean Liner was almost titled H.M.S. Gedge as a tribute to the leader of The Wedding Present, one of my favorite bands. This turned out well I think.

The theme music It Was Funny To Me At The Time was done for the online cartoon strip created by Lee Brenner and Darin Brock. It hasn’t been updated in a while but you can visit the site here.

The epic Disko Kompression Ekcess closes things out. This mix of a slow disco beat and grinding industrial guitars turned out well I think. Nice fuzz bass and some field recordings made at the Silk Market in Beijing.

Recorded 2008 in Dallas, Texas. Cover image is from somewhere over Nevada while en route to Tokyo via Los Angeles. Secret alien base or not?

Walmartians - bebobebobe (2008)

The first Walmartians transmission. Originally broadcast in 2008.

Originally conceived as a way to entertain my 2-year-old son Ian, Walmartians ultimately took on a life of its own.

Walmartians (Kontakt Prime) is the opening shot and includes my first use of the Stylophone. Great little instrument originally made in the 1970s.

Kerpy Oom is named after something Ian was singing over the music for the song.

For some reason the third track 1988 (Something New) reminded me of the late 1980s and in particular The Cutting Edge show on MTV.

While finishing out the fourth track I turned to young Ian and asked “what should this be called?” He looked up and answered “Purple Balloon!” Yes, there was one in the room. Nice little pop number. There were some lyrics for it, but seemed better as an instrumental.

Wobble Pants is a bit of silliness and based on something I used to say to Ian.

Long ago in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, young Darin Brock penned a short-lived comic strip titled Stick Darin & Friends. It chronicled the adventures of Darin, Bruce and Steve as they taught at summer camp. This is the somewhat belated Theme From Stick Darin and Friends. Where are you now Nazi Boy?

Distant Early Frizz Warning combines jabs at both the Weather Channel’s most ridiculous forecast bit – the Frizz Warning – and Rush’s similarly titled song. I like Rush, but sometimes they’re a little much.

Before I ran across the Walmartians moniker I briefly toyed with the idea of reviving Spoo as the band name. That was the inspiration for the appropriately titled The Return of Spoo.

Anthrax Klown Attakk is a clattering noisy reference to both the early days of Purple Fish (“Anthrax clowns throwing spores at the children…”) and perhaps more oddly Magma. If you don’t know who they are look it up.

Ian plays a bit of accidental bass on Colony Collapse. You can hear it during the break.

The DTO Theme was originally written and performed by me, Darin Brock and Robert Brown. The original version appeared on the 1992 debut album by Debbie Tooth Overdrive – Pantyboy Slapfest on Tonto Disco Records.

Several people have commented that Crashing The Stratofortress is one of their favorite Walmartians songs. It isn’t too bad I suppose.

The melody for Almost Home came to me while on a long approach into DFW International Airport one evening. This was after one of many trips to Tokyo.

The title When The Melody Ends (The Doors Will Close) comes from a sign on board the subway trains in Tokyo.

Cover image from the Regus Center, Shibuya, Tokyo. All songs written by Cummings except DTO Theme by Brock, Brown and Cummings. Thanks to Darin Brock for helping to sequence these songs. Originally released October 2008.