tokyo flashback 2

p.s.f. records (short for "poor strong factory" or "psychedelic speed freaks," depending) is a japanese label known for releasing the works of prolific avant-gardists, experimentalists, and psych weirdos like keiji haino (fushitsusha/vajra/sanhedolin), kan mikami, and asahito nanjo (high rise/mainliner/musica transonic/toho sara). since 1991, they've released six volumes in their tokyo flashback series of psych comps (an asia flashback volume, including korean and chinese artists, was released last december). i just got my hands on volume 2 and it's pretty high quality stuff, redolent of everything from summer of love frisco to noo yawk "no wave." set opener white heaven's "silver current" comes across like john cippolina jammin' with the chocolate watch band. perpetually black-clad master of all that's underground haino joins nanjo-san's power trio high rise for a workout on what sounds suspiciously like the beatles' "taxman," while elsewhere haino throws a ten-minute tantrum with fushitsusha in the form of a cover of "marianne" by '60s icons the jacks, and nanjo achieves feedback nirvana with ohkami no jikan on "thin city part 2." maher shalal hash baz sound barely capable of holding their instruments, while marble sheep and the run-down sun's children, led by ex-white heaven gtrist/captain trip records honcho ken matsutani, recall every good note ever played by jerry garcia and the after bathing at baxter's-era jefferson airplane. over hang party bring in velvets-via-my bloody valentine drone 'n' thump, while yura yura teikoku (called "yura yura kingdom" here) don't sound anywhere near as impressive as they did on their youtube vids (see earlier post). kousokuya, a three-piece with female bassist/vocalist, sound like all the feedback near-meltdowns from the interstices of the who live at leeds (a good thing, imo). ghost's track bears a curious resemblance to english folk music. a mixed bag, but enough to make me curious about the other volumes. might have to take thisun with me to jersey.