Bablicon "The Cat That Was a Dog, A Flat Inside a Fog" Misra Records MSR008 2001 (64:51)
Blu Hawaii (4:52)
Travelling
(7:56)
Snipanet T (3:20)
Animals (1:22)
Sumur / Paris / Tea Towels (9:05)
Mary
(6:25)
Distant Morfonger (1:13)
Arcdurvish (5:19)
Smell of Ovoustic (:48)
Bahamut (4:31)
AEther (5:55)
Ape Hall / Atlas Cousin (:32)
Misted Fin (1:15)
Pigeon of Doom (1:49)
An
Odd Pear (7:12)
Bablicon are a Chicago-based trio of curiously monikerd multi-instrumentalists: 'Blue Hawaii', Marta Tennae and 'the diminisher'. This is their 3rd album, apparently conceived as a double album, tracks 1-6 under the "The Cat That Was a Dog" title and tracks 7-15 under "a Flat Inside the Fog". Most songs are rooted in piano composition, which all 3 members play, but vary widely in style and additional tone coloration: voices, various basses and saxes, electronics and all sorts of percussion and other odds and ends like theremin, melodica, 'friendly bird tinkles' and 'electric ghetto duck'. It's an avante-everything sort of music that takes in jazz, rock, symphonic and experimental, where playful melodies are as common as just plain weird melodies. The vocabulary that comes to mind when listening to these pieces - quirky, odd, surreal, beautiful, noisy, etc. - is much the same as that for the work of their Misra labelmates Volcano the Bear. Regarding some of the more compelling numbers: "Travelling" builds up a gypsy like dance of piano, upright bass and horns; "Mary" psychedelically grooves an organ, theremin and cymbal assault; "Arcdurvish" manipulates sax a la Terry Riley with electronics and percussive knickknacks; and the finale "An Odd Pear" eventually delivers the most outright attack of sound then settles down into a pretty (normal) jazz coda. "The Cat.." is definitely for the more adventurous listeners out there like you and me ...
Where did I get this cd? - promo.