Lars Gotrich
Music comes in cycles, mysteriously and suddenly, returning when the world’s ready again. I think that’s the case with this lovingly assembled mix of ’80s private-press avant-pop from Mark Freedman, a musician and studio owner who ran in Arthur Russell’s circles (he plays cello on a few tracks here). Elastic jams for weirdo dance moves. www.vikingschoice.org/archive/vikings-choice-guide-to-bandcamp-friday-may-2021/Favorite track: One Peace at a Time.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Purchasable with gift card
$12USD or more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Includes three LPs - One Peace At A Time, When There Was Time, and Be Your Own Hero. Discharge LP is only sold separately.
Includes unlimited streaming of One Man Posse
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
Purchasable with gift card
$65USDor more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Side A (33 RPM)
A1. Believe In, A2. It’s Never Too Late, A3. Never Too Proud (My Love)
Side B (33 RPM)
B1. Be Your Own Hero, B2. Inside, B3. Hold Me
Includes unlimited streaming of One Man Posse
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
Purchasable with gift card
$22USDor more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Side A (33 RPM)
A1. Let's Talk It Over (L.T.I.O.), A2. One Man Posse, A3. Taste Me, A4. Help! (Intruder), A5. Young Lover's Game
Side B (33 RPM)
B1. One Peace At A Time, B2. Hamburger Heaven, B3. Love Whisperings
Includes unlimited streaming of One Man Posse
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
Purchasable with gift card
$22USDor more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Side A (33 RPM)
A1. When There Was Time, A2. People, A3. P-Jam, A4. G ++
Side B (33 RPM)
B1. Your Love Conquers Me, B2. Now That I Have Found You, B3. It's Alright (Don't Worry), B4. Na Pali Coast
Includes unlimited streaming of One Man Posse
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
Purchasable with gift card
$55USDor more
Battery Sound - Discharge 12" EP - Original Pressing
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Side A (33 RPM)
A1. Too My Home Country, A2. Your Love Conquers Me, A3. Too Hot To Handle, A4. Only You, A5. Love Will Find A Way
Side B (33 RPM)
B1. Breakdown I, B2. Breakdown II
Includes unlimited streaming of One Man Posse
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Mark Freedman notably owned and operated NYC’s Battery Sound recording studios in the early-to-mid 1980s, providing a deep and open space for Downtown’s oddballs to experiment within. The studio became mythically used by Arthur Russell, who spent late nights there creating World of Echo and working on songs like “Another Thought,” “In the Light of the Miracle,” and “Let’s Go Swimming” (which Freedman co-produced).
As well as an engineer, Freedman was a multi-instrumentalist and composer operating under various monikers, the most prolific of which was his Powerman alias. As Powerman, Freedman voyaged strange synth seas, coasting weird waves, New and otherwise, while never quite fitting the pop mold he was trying to conform his music to. Because, or in spite, of this non-conformity, Freedman released three albums and an EP on his own label imprint, named after the recording studio, over a short span of three years.
With a DIY spirit in the air, Freedman, and a cast of characters from the Battery Sound recording studio world, played and prospered within his disorderly-creative systems, enjoying the magical sound catalyzed by the studio’s state of the art equipment, including a Fairlight CMI, a then cutting edge digital synthesizer, sampler, and audio workstation. The Battery Sound crew appear across the now-coveted self-released Powerman albums, musically exploring chugging groove marathons, wistful, puzzle pieced New Wave not dissimilar to the avant-pop of Art of Noise or New Musik, kitschy yet catchy sample expression and much, much more, oftentimes featuring Russell on cello.
Mark passed away in 2012, leaving his music in the hands of his children. The best bits from Freedman’s self-released oeuvre are compiled here into One Man Posse, remastered with care from the original master reels and pristine vinyl and cassette sources by Josh Bonati. And instead of adding more plastic to the world, we’re offering sourced copies of the original Powerman pressings in cooperation with Mark’s family.
credits
released May 7, 2021
All music and words by Mark Freedman except “Purple People Eater”, written by Sheb Wooley.
Performed, produced, and mixed by Mark Freedman at Battery Sound, New York City except where otherwise noted.
Mastered by Josh Bonati, Bonati Mastering (Brooklyn, NY)
Compiled by John Also Bennett
Cover photo taken from Discharge, by unknown photographer
Design by WWFG
Cello on “One Peace At A Time,” “Be Your Own Hero” and “Holi-Ol-I” by Arthur Russell
Vocals on “One Peace at a Time” by Abby Wolff
Vocals on “Breakdown II” by Nadeen Rich
Backing vocals on “Be Your Own Hero” by Abby Wolff
Backing vocals on “Taste Me” by Abby Wolff and Psquani Frates
Vocals on “Hamburger Heaven” by Psquani Frates
Synthesizer and organ on “Be Your Own Hero” by Peter Schott
“One Man Posse” produced by Mark Freedman and Peter Schott, engineered by Mark Freedman and Eric Liljestrand
Benjamin Freedman “Inspiration”
PLEASE NOTE: These are original pressings that were recovered after several decades in storage. There is a possibility that your LP will have minor cosmetic damage (e.g. ringwear) or warping from its years in storage, but should still be in playable condition. We have done our best to weed out any copies with exceptional damage. As such we are selling these “as is.” We cannot offer refunds or replacement copies for records that are slightly warped but in playable condition.
My god, what an absolutely incredible Suite. I'll admit, I've struggled to get into Pharoah Sanders due to diving headfirst into some of his most challenging catalogue and that never worked. This is the perfect place to restart. Floating Points is new for me and I can honestly say I've never heard synthesizer music this lush and organic before. the LSO is just perfect. This is one of those albums that any serious music fan needs in their life. The perfect swan song for the great Pharaoh! 5/5 ClassyMusicSnob
Edmonton's Saint Idiot makes deconstructed art-pop that gets at the queasiness and absurdity of modern life and imagines better outcomes. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 14, 2021