One of the benefits of living in Seattle is that any time I go to the airport I can stop by the Sub Pop retail store.  Usually if I buy something it’s a shirt or a book, but of course the shop sells music too, including vinyl, so I always have to at least take a look.  Last week I was headed out to Grand Rapids, Michigan on a work trip and stopped by Sub Pop to pick up few 7″ singles for a friend’s son, and while there I came across this old (originally released in 1995) 7″ by Wire founding member Bruce Gilbert.  I couldn’t not buy that!

Packaged in a silver foil pouch, Instant Shed Vol. 1 is an interesting little record.  Both tracks are experimental.  “Bi Yo Yo” sounds just like its title, nearly five minutes of the same repetitive beat/pattern, ceaseless hitting you like a dentist’s drill.  The flip side “Byo (Sachet)” is a completely different experience, a minimalistic random collection of sound snipits, something difficult to consider music per se, more just sounds.  Probably not something that I’ll be sitting around one day when I suddenly think, “you know, I’m really in the mood for that Bruce Gilbert Sub Pop 7″ right now,” but it’s still interesting nonetheless.