The Caretaker "Selected Memories from the Haunted Ballroom" V/Vm Test Records OFFAL02 1999 (72:20)
Engagements
The Haunted Ballroom (3:44)
By the Seaside (4:00)
One Thousand Memories (1:25)
Haunting Me (3:48)
A Summer Romance (3:05)
Den of Iniquity (2:45)
Dream Waltz (3:29)
A Handful of Stars (3:34)
Request Dance (5:09)
In the Dark (3:02)
Reckless Night (3:02)
Interval
Thronged With Ghosts (3:48)
From Out of Nowhere (3:45)
Friends Past Reunited (2:00)
You and the Night (3:12)
Moonlight Serenade (2:34)
Disillusioned (2:41)
The Revolving Bandstand (:47)
Garden of Weeds (3:06)
"Excuse Me" for Ladies (:59)
In Days of Old (2:14)
September 1939 (1:57)
Thanks (3:25)
The Haunted Ballroom (3:20)
(3:29)
I admittedly know very little about V/Vm ... the who (Andy and James?), where (Manchester, UK?), why (innovation and humor?) and a bit of the music is the extent of my knowledge. I do know that V/Vm is very prolific, releasing a plethora of very limited 7" and 12" singles over the past few years and now, finally, some cds. "Selected Memories from the Haunted Ballroom" is the 2nd release on the Offal cd imprint of their own Test Records label, following the well received "AuralOffalWaffleTenPintsOfBitterAndABagOfPorkScratchings" double cd. The 25 tracks, over 72 minutes total, borrow ballroom tunes from the 1920s and 30s as the source material, which is then thoroughly manipulated via effects. Remember the music from the marvelous Stephen King/Stanley Kubrick film "The Shining"? It's the same sort of thing here. Most of the tracks have an ambient feel as the barely audible vocal and orchestral melodies from the ballroom tunes drift in and out of the clouds of reverb, delay and vinyl pops. I'm not even certain all of the tracks have a ballroom backing the wash is so dense at times. There are a few exceptions though, "One Thousand Memories", "Den of Iniquity" and "September 1939" deliver brutal shards of noise that would make Merzbow jealous. But despite these, the overall effect is indeed haunting, eerie, distant ... a bit disturbing, a bit humorous and a bit beautiful ... simultaneously. Loads of fun! Per usual for V/VM, the packaging is rather frugal, a ziplock baggy with photocopied paper inserts, same as the first Offal release. Who knows what's next from V/Vm, but I'll be sure to buy it ...
Where did I get this cd? - mail order via Riouxs Records.