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Vocokesh, "The Tenth Corner"
Strange Attractors
The artwork says it all here, as those unfamiliar with Vocokesh cantell right away what's inside: an obsession with psychedelic guitarrock and a twisting of genres. That it is as strange as it is but stillmakes an impact is truly an accomplishment, in my opinion, because ithas the ability to estrange people at its very core. With no vocals tospeak of, and a decided lack of structure here and there, some wouldlose interest even though the quality of the playing is of the highestcaliber. This is something not foreign to Vocokesh's mad scientistRichard Franecki considering his experiences in F/i, and this fourthalbum from his subsequent project is their most expansive, mostglorious, and finest yet. The album is a bit of a tribute to some ofFranecki's favorite cult films from Michaelangelo Antonioni andAlejandro Jodorowsky, with Vocokesh composing music that could havebeen used as the soundtrack. Even the tracks not ear-marked for thispurpose have a cinematic quality, though, where you can imagine theaction going on while the song is being played. Loud processed guitarsthat wail and screech meet with synthesizers and other electronics plusheavy drumming to produce a wall of sound that could destroy entirecities. The album comes in like a lamb, though, with the title track'sgentle acoustic strumming meeting with some distorted guitar and synthsin an almost flamenco style and a bit of minor key. But then thefifteen-minute crushing blow begins, and "Love Theme From El Topo"struts across the headphones. Loud feedback, dirty solos, kickdrum-heavy rhythms and delay make a delicious smorgasbord, even thoughit never leaves a given area, seeming to meander in the same space. Nomatter: it's still gorgeous, like a composition written by Miles Davisand performed by Hendrix on guitar. It's got that swing, baby, but Iwouldn't turn it up too loud cause the ears'll bleed. That's theblueprint, and though the melodies and chords change, there ain't a lotof variation. I still loved every minute of it, and I'm more than surethat any lover of experimental psych rock will, too.
The artwork says it all here, as those unfamiliar with Vocokesh cantell right away what's inside: an obsession with psychedelic guitarrock and a twisting of genres. That it is as strange as it is but stillmakes an impact is truly an accomplishment, in my opinion, because ithas the ability to estrange people at its very core. With no vocals tospeak of, and a decided lack of structure here and there, some wouldlose interest even though the quality of the playing is of the highestcaliber. This is something not foreign to Vocokesh's mad scientistRichard Franecki considering his experiences in F/i, and this fourthalbum from his subsequent project is their most expansive, mostglorious, and finest yet. The album is a bit of a tribute to some ofFranecki's favorite cult films from Michaelangelo Antonioni andAlejandro Jodorowsky, with Vocokesh composing music that could havebeen used as the soundtrack. Even the tracks not ear-marked for thispurpose have a cinematic quality, though, where you can imagine theaction going on while the song is being played. Loud processed guitarsthat wail and screech meet with synthesizers and other electronics plusheavy drumming to produce a wall of sound that could destroy entirecities. The album comes in like a lamb, though, with the title track'sgentle acoustic strumming meeting with some distorted guitar and synthsin an almost flamenco style and a bit of minor key. But then thefifteen-minute crushing blow begins, and "Love Theme From El Topo"struts across the headphones. Loud feedback, dirty solos, kickdrum-heavy rhythms and delay make a delicious smorgasbord, even thoughit never leaves a given area, seeming to meander in the same space. Nomatter: it's still gorgeous, like a composition written by Miles Davisand performed by Hendrix on guitar. It's got that swing, baby, but Iwouldn't turn it up too loud cause the ears'll bleed. That's theblueprint, and though the melodies and chords change, there ain't a lotof variation. I still loved every minute of it, and I'm more than surethat any lover of experimental psych rock will, too.
