Top 13 (of the Week)

Sure,you know what's cool. But do you know what's really fuckin' FAR OUT? That's where Advanced Demonology takes over. Every week, (K)en and (S)wilson trudge through the murky waters of the pop culture hellscape, dredging up sparkly morsels of wonder. These are the result of our latest foray into the world of the weird, our wildest, wiggest-out picks of the week. Call it our 13 Point Program.

13. Virgin Witch on Blu-ray!
Virgin Witch (1971) is a must-see for all budding demonologists. Here's the set-up: two groovy chicks - models, of course - show up at some notorious lesbian's gothic castle in the middle of nowhere (which, in 70's Britain, could seriously be nowhere) to land a modeling contract. They figure, what the hell, if they've gotta make out with the ol' broad, what's the harm? But when they get there, they find out there's way crazier shit than girl-on-girl antics going on - witchcraft is afoot! Will they be forced to join the evil Sapphic coven? Probably! Great stuff and now it's mastered in HD! (K)

12. The Police Tapes
Ride around with the cops in the South Bronx in 1976. This documentary was shot on one of the first video cameras available by the  people that brought you An American Family. It was the inspiration to the show Cops and Hill Street Blues. The Bronx in the seventies were some of the meanest of all mean streets in history. It's completely mesmerizing. (S)

11. Shuffler.Fm
So say you're like me (aging), and you find it difficult to get a hold on what "the kids" are listening to these days. You show up at the record shop on new-release day and you're mystified: who are these people and what do they do? Is Poor Moon techno or folk? Honestly, what the hell, Poor Moon? You know in the 80's, you knew what you were dealing with. Nobody thought Slayer might have been synthpop. Anyway, Shuffler.FM to the rescue. This swell Ipad app (you can also use it on the web) collects all the latest tunes from hundreds of music blogs and divides 'em up by genre. In the mood for Psychedelic (yes)? Post-rock (no)? Whatever floats your boat, you press the button and it takes you to the latest jams available in your chosen genre, and there's a handy music-player at the bottom that converts whatever format the original song was posted in, so you don't have to worry about what buttons to push. Super helpful, and a great way to discover great new tunes. (K)

10. Rasputin Stash
With one of the best band names in funk history and a record called The Devil Made Me Do It, this Chicago funk outfit was destined for advanced demonological heights. I'm pretty sure this was what the character J.J. Walker was getting down to off screen in Good Times.  Each song is like a still life from the inner city seventies: Mr. Cool, Hit it and and pass it,  I can feel your jones, you've opened my mind and the devil made me do it. yeah. For sure. (S)

9. The B-Music of Jean Rollin

Jean Rollin was one of the all-time great weirdo film auteurs. Back in the 70's, he made an amazing series of "erotic" vampire films, dreamy, hypnotic, low-budget gems like Lips of Blood and Fascination that were made with barely any money (and, for the most part, barely any script either) but delivered big on woozy atmosphere, abundant French-hippie-death-goddess nudity, and haunting tunes. Several of his films were recently released on Blu-ray, but The B-Music of Jean Rollin 1968-1979 is the first (far as I know) compilation of music from his soundtracks. And it's as trippy as you think it is. (K)

8. Apres Ski Soundtrack

The soundtrack to some French Canadian ski movie that involves naked chicks. Although I'm dam near obsessed with female nudity, I'm really not interested in skiing, so I haven't tracked down the movie. The soundtrack is great, though.  French language easy funk, barroom sing a longs,  mindless mood music and slow Gainsborge-esque sex dirges, interspersed with clips from the film  that I don't understand, but the add to the atmosphere.  I haven't actually paid for the thing I've been playing it off of band camp while I cook. (S)

7. 10 Billion Earths?! 
Seems like just last year, astronomers were guessing there was about 30 or so possible Earth-like planets in our galaxy. Now, according to an article in Wired this week, that number has gone up. Way up. There might be 10 BILLION PLANETS in the galaxy. We are definitely not alone. I hope for Swilson's sake the rest of the galaxy digs Loner Rock. (K)

6. Tabloid
Errol Morris brings us the story of  former miss Wyoming, Joyce McKinney. In 1977 she decided to kidnap her ex-boyfriend, a devout Mormon, and deprogram him by chaining him up and having nonstop sex with him for three days. Great idea, huh?  It became a Tabloid sensation in Uk and the story becomes, somehow, linked to cloning!?!?! It needs to bee seen to be believed. Or maybe not believed. (S)

5. Orion's Beethoven was a space rock band from Argentina who released a couple of kooky records in the late 60's that straddled symphonic-prog, acid-battered, space-y, proto-metal thud, and free jazz freakouts. Their Superangel album (1973) was probably their high-water mark, but this killer black n' white film clip from some festival in Buenos Aires is a stone-groove too. The fellas clearly have very little control over their instruments, but they look awesome trying to wrangle their wayward sound. (K)

4. A Real Cool Time Revisited: Swedish Punk, Pop and Garage Rock 1982-1989
In case you don't know, Rock is not dead. It just retired and moved to Scandinavia. The 80's was such a great time to experience the mid-sixities. The Swedes on this bone crushing comp of stomp rock '65 revival have a way with it. Maybe it was all the raping and pillaging from the long ship glory days?  (S)

3. Teen A Go Go 
Great documentary on the mid 60's Fort Worth Texas garage rock scene. Nobody ever got famous - Larry and the Blue Notes are pretty much the headliners in that pack of outsiders and never-weres, but the stories are great, the footage is fun and obviously rare (most of it is super 8!) and the sense of enthusiasm from those long-gone days is infectious. Teen out and turn on! (K)

2. The planet Saturn makes the best space rock!
Saturn emits some pretty intense radio waves and the Cassini spacecraft picks em up. Check  it out! It's better than most space bands here on earth. I predict this planet will be the biggest name in show biz by the year 2112. Mark my words... (S)

1. The Pierces - new album You and I 

Last episode of the Advanced Demonology podcast, I mentioned how nobody actually sounds like Fleetwood Mac except Fleetwood Mac. Well, I take it back. This record sounds like fuckin' Fleetwood Mac. Late 70's cocaine and mayhem era. Plus, they're two hot sisters. And one of 'em is half of the awesome James Levy and Blood Red Rose (hint: she's not James Levy). I dig it! (K)