Les Rallizes Dénudés - Electric Pure Land (1974) 11/20/2008

This is my favorite bootleg by the legendary LRD; the performances and recording just destroy. It would be a good intro-point for newcomers too, since it's relatively short. The first half of the set is awesome enough, though it starts off rather oddly with the song that usually closed their shows ("The Last One," naturally), but the last two tracks are what really take you into outer space. "Voice Of The Bird" is an incredibly heavy and mournful sort of blues tune, Mizutani's droney wails and traumatized guitar leading us through the sort of material that just leaves you dumbstruck, wondering how ostensibly normal human beings could possibly write that. You feel like it should be over, but then "Angel" goes on another ten whole minutes, even more blistering, instantly grabbing but completely incomprehensible, and totally alien. Listen to it, really, really loud, in a darkened room or with your eyes closed, in a reclining position. I used to smoke cigarettes while doing that, but these days I'm trying to live healthier and I've found a glass or two of scotch works just as well. So get yourself a bottle of nice ten or twelve year and just space out.

Electric Pure Land (1974)