Paperhouse (UK) -- Spongy Comestibles

I've been trawling the internet forums in search of obscure UK space-rock bands, and this was recommended to me recently. Having tracked down a CD copy on eBay, this is exactly the sort of stuff I was looking for, and I thought I should share this little gem with the world.

PAPERHOUSE were a dub-tinged psychedelic space-rock band from Surrey. The obvious musical comparison is OZRIC TENTACLES, though the music of Paperhouse is simpler and more straightforward, and much less strange. As great as the Ozrics are, sometimes their ultra-complex brand of weirditude can be a little difficult to digest. This is very similar in feel and style to contemporary UK bands like MOONDRAGON and CROW though less punky and hardhitting than either of these. In fact my only criticism of this album is that I wish the guitars would get a bit beefier during the more rhythmic sections. Nit-picking aside, this is great stuff.

Info (Wikipedia)

Paperhouse (UK) -- "Spongy Comestibles" CD (1992)

1. Floating "E" Riff

2. Columbia

3. Hrmphf

4. Purple House

5. Paperhouse Dub

6. Please Leave The Room

7. Thrash Pants

8. Liquid Reality

9. Helix

Download

Note: I mistakenly tagged the files with the year 1994, instead of 1992. Needless to say, I am currently scourging my flesh in penance.


Update:

Thanks to the very nice man in the comments below, here is a link to download Paperhouse's 1991 cassette album "A":

http://ernestembryo.blogspot.com/2010/04/paperhouse.html

Arktyk (US) -- "Northern Darkness"

OK, so there's not any music to download here, as it doesn't actually exist... Arktyk was a fictitious, ultra-obscure Black Metal band from Barrow, the northernmost city in Alaska, created for an elaborate April Fools joke by Terrorizer magazine in 1999 (Issue 65). They ran an article / interview on the band, plus an album review in the same issue, both of which waxed lyrical about this fantastic band.

I have scanned the article and review below:

I am ashamed to say I was one of the poor fools who fell for it hook, line and sinker, even ordering the album from a distro who was in on the joke. How foolish I felt upon opening the following issue, and reading the hilarious "April Fools!" caption...: