Plenty of new music to be had this week from Laetitia Sadier and Storefront Church, Six Organs of Admittance, Able Noise, Yui Onodera, SML, Clinic Stars, Austyn Wohlers, Build Buildings, Zelienople, and Lea Thomas, plus some older tunes by Farah, Guy Blakeslee, Jessica Bailiff, and Richard H. Kirk.
Lake in Girdwood, Alaska by Johnny.
Get involved: subscribe, review, rate, share with your friends, send images!
I will never forget the night of December 14th, 1998. It was a Mondayevening downstairs at the Middle East in Cambridge. An unusually cold,desolate scene from what is typically packed and overbearingly hot. Theattendees got to sit down on chairs for a change and witness a largescreen with incredible black and white images of the trecherous seasoff the coast of the Aleutian Islands (Alaska). The film was 'DutchHarbor' and the Boxhead Ensemble were improvising the soundtrack as wewatched. Three years and three album releases have passed and theensemble has finally released something that doesn't have anything todo with 'Dutch Harbor', but I can still feel the chill. I stepped inthe car earlier this week late at night with the crisp, cold NewEngland air numbing my face. As I popped the disc on, everythingclicked into place. The dark drive wasn't so bad, there was nobody elsein the car and nothing to say but just sit and listen, watching mybreath in front of me, waiting for the heater to kick in. The recordingopens with a short violin, drum, acoustic guitar and background noiseintro, then moves onto a second track with familiar sparse guitar,strings and drums. It's hard not to sound like the Dirty Three whenboth Jim White and Mick Turner are involved, despite them beingcredited on the 'secondary' list of ensemble members. Boxhead Ensemblehas always been loose enough to sound improvisational, but collectedenough to sound composed. Bit by bit, other instruments are introducedto the mix, including double bass and more bowed strings. Over thecourse of the next few songs, the focus moves from empty andalone-sounding bits to a much warmer sound. Drones, chimes and basssounds eventually fill the space by the time the car heater has kickedin. By the time the sixth piece, the gorgeous "Requiem" comes on, thedrummer and guitarists have been silenced and the strings havecompletely taken over. Gentle guitar and drums return on the next tuneand an elegant interplay continues through the end of the disc. Thefeel returns to the earlier sense of chilly solitude, but at thispoint, the sound is majesitc enough to be an aural impression of agorgeous snow-capped Vermont mountain. It ends with a short epilogue,the instruments mimicing a bitter, cold wind blowing. Although they maynot have done it to somebody else's movie -this- time, the ensemble hasonce again created an appropriate soundtrack for the cold, outdoorexperiences of the northern hemisphere in the wintertime.
Chris Dooks, the musician behind Bovine Life, understands thatpost-techno electronic music need not be a dour affair with art-galleryjustification. His debut full-length CD is thoroughly fun andenjoyable, proudly home-made and full of inspired musical ideas, whilesitting within that strange gray area between dancable electronica andcontemporary computer music. One-finger melodies and concisecompositions (averaging two and a half minutes long) dominate thealbum, which is a nice touch. That Dooks uses very few elements in eachsong is to his benefit as well; he establishes an open and engagingatmosphere that persists even on the darker, more abstract pieces. Themost interesting aspect of "Social Electrics" is the home-made natureof the recordings. The album makes remarkable and inventive use of thetechnical limitations of DIY home recording; a Dr. Sample makes itspresence known many times, as does the factory pre-set hand-clapkeyboard sound, the telltale rise-and-fall swoosh of a ring modulator,and the unmistakable stutter of computer time-stretching. Evidence ofhuman interaction with the sound-producing materials is presentthroughout in the form of manually turned knobs and punched keys, quitethe antithesis to the faceless and flawless sheen of Raster-Music orMille Plateaux. I suppose it's similar to the raw sound of DATPolitics, so a fan of one artist would do well to check out the other.Pretty damn fun stuff.
Peaceful, serene, warm and endearing. I wonder if there's a farm where Thomas Morr harvests all the prettiest electronic music composers. Although Schnauss' album is actually released from City Centre Offices, Morr Music (you remember, that Lali Puna album you keep meaning to pick up) handles the worldwide distribution outside of the UK.
Herr Schnauss has allegedly been doing music for years, yet this is his first major release. Thankfully, he has chosen to use only his six best songs, keeping it under 45 minutes. While the piano melodies, long delays, breathy synths, fluid beats and electronic bass lines are basic, there's something undeniably uplifting about the mix. I sense a strong underlying theme of motion throughout the disc, gently propelling the listener through topographic soundscapes, using some of the most key elements of sound creation and manipulation. Shimmering guitar sounds bring back memories of Cocteau Twins tricks, lush keyboards can easily sink the Boards of Canada and crisp beats are tasteful and never oppressive. 'Far Away' is absent of clicky glitches and is an incredibly clean recording, one which always prompts callers to my radio shows when being played. The perfect setting for a listening would probably be a long bus ride on a sunny day through changing autumn foliage.
Every once in a while a record comes along that is so avant garde, sodifferent, so completely not like anything I've heard, that it almostdefies description. Starlight Mints almost do that. This music isobviously not aimed at radio, not aimed at any one test market, noteven classified by one genre that it's almost impossible to determinewho exactly would listen to it. I would recommend it to anyone wholikes the Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev (no brainer there - HellfireMarketing represents all three bands in different capacities), but doesit really sound like any of them? No, not really. In fact, if I wasgoing to describe this, the best I could come up with is Spiders FromMars-era Bowie fronting an art-rock guitar band with a small stringsection, occasionally intermingled with interesting noises for maximumconfusion and effect. Which is funny, since I read ther bio afterforming that opinion, and it name checks Bowie, as well. I mean, it's areally confusing listen. The music grabs you immediately, and it won'tlet go. But where some bands sound like they're confused by their ownmusic, not quite sure how to focus, harness, or direct it, StarlightMints aural confusion is completely MANUFACTURED. That's right:Starlight Mints WANT you to be confounded by this noise. And it isconfounding, but utterly listenable. I mean I CANNOT TAKE THIS CD OUTOF THE PLAYER, it calls to me so much. But I don't know why. Is thatstrange? Yes. But so be it. The only complaint I have is that as thealbum goes on, some songs use similar chord progressions or structuresand dynamics as earlier ones, so it almost sounds gimmicky compared toearlier tracks. But it is always fresh. The lyrics are equally as odd:"sir prize" features the line "Shaking hands with the cats in themirror." And I don't think he means "cats" in that "Hey, that guy's apretty hip cat" sense. He means cats. With four legs and tails. "sugarblaster" says "Follow me to the echo machine." Weird. Try it out, as itis the strangest release you'll hear all year. And that's a good thing,really.
The signature sound of Tsyoshi Nakamaru's Tagomago project is astrangely clipped sample, looped against the beat as if the song andthe loop exist in two different pieces of music played simultaneously.This peculiar trait makes its appearance on nearly all of his albumsand gives his otherwise almost-innocuous techno-pop an edge that, atfirst, is difficult to place. A funky upright bass and a looped chunkof violins kicks off "On the Upper Level", the first tune on Tagomago'sseventh solo album, with the urgency implied by the album's title. Theenergetic pulse that drives the album's first half makes occasionalnods to mainstream drum n'bass or to lazily paced trip hop, though mosttracks keep to a slightly stuttering and repetitive groove which callsto mind the band whose magnus opus Nakamaru borrowed his moniker from.The latter half of the disc slides into drumless analogue synthesizerdrift, several tracks of low throb punctuated by sci-fi squeals andairy feedback. Previous Tagomago albums have featured lovelyinstrumental pop molded from looped sitars and other conspicuously"psychedelic" ingredients, but this latest CD draws mostly fromshimmering orchestral hits and instrumental flourishes (think: 1970stelevision themes). "ASAP" is a fine set of understated, upbeat tunesthat never gets too sweet, though it's closer in spirit to NobukazuTakemura and the Childisc crew than to Nakamaru's much strangerproject, the great Nerve Net Noise.
Tomahawkis Mike Patton's newest project on Ipecac, featuring Patton on vocals,Kevin Rutmanis (Melvins), John Stanier (ex-Helmet,) and Duane Denison(Jesus Lizard). It's Good Stuff. Stylistically, it reminds me of theother band-work Patton's done — specifically Faith No More — becausethe music does have a certain "rock" or "punk" vibe about it, mixedwith a certain eclecticness that keeps it from being just plain rock orpunk. There are no writing credits, lyrics or any extraneousinformation and all liner notes are kept to an absolute bare minimum(seven short lines, including the tracklisting.) The recording qualityis excellent and although the Patton's vocals are the center ofattention, the music does play it's part and balances out theforcefulness of the vocals. The music itself is part humor and partnoir (e.g. "POP 1" and it's screamed bridge of "This beat could win mea grammy!"). Patton's vocal abuses are a highlight of the record,especially the screams and nuances of infliction he does so well. Agreat release for fans of vocal gymnastics, and a pretty good album ingeneral.
Cavendish Sanguine is an ambient alias for one half of Fflint CentralRecordings, Barry Williams, who also records as Oleum and helpschanneling in productions from the mysterious Berkowitz, Lake &Dahmer. This is the sound of one man who went to mow Wotan's lawn. Myguess is that he used a big sharp scythe. A looped deep dark voice underpinned by unintelligible high pitchedreversed chatterings comprises the door opener "Halzaphron". "Plague"seeps mournfully in flanged droning, like Eno in hell chased by thegong bashing ghosts of Plotkin and Null because they want their rareThrobbing Gristle bootleg tapes back. There are phantom organists andfiery rumbles a plenty here! Cavendish Sanguine reveals another grey world flecked with reflectingmetallic mirrors where odd looking hermetic explorers summon tendrilledbeasts from tombs and set them looming in places where Coil's attackingSennapods left a trail of ectoplasmic spittle. On the penultimate"FerroCello" virtual hell breaks loose with strings attached, rising toa mutant crescendo of sonic cyber splurge. This track is all the moreimpressive when it's revealed that rather than heavily effect ladenbowed strings, it's actually all sourced from a short short wave radiotransmission minced through the digital grinder. These crusts o'vitriolwould be ideal soundtracks for some horror flick set in dripping dankcaverns where foul demons lurk. The entire CD-R can also be heard online at a well known MP3 site which you can find via Fflint Central.
Hardly "Punk As Fuck" as the tongue-in-cheek title of the first trackoff their fourth album, the American Analog Set could actually be moreaccurately described as creating music in the vein of Neu!. 'Know ByHeart' unites the psychedelic jams of the Austin-based band's earliermaterial with a soothing pop sensibility. The warm sounds ofvibraphones and farfisa organs mesh with heavy bass lines and pungentpercussion on the tracks "Gone to Earth" and "Million Young," thelatter of which screams Stereolab circa "Revox" (if Laetitia's vocalshad been replaced by those of an American male with a honey-coatedvoice). Fortunately, the album is not overrun by kraut-rock musings.The balladry of "Slow Company" and the title track, plus the janglyrock of "The Only One" and "Aaron & Maria" allow for the band toexhibit not only their stylistic versatility, but their broadinstrumental capabilities as well. "The Postman", a sweetly rhythmic,yet melancholy tune about a mail carrier's crush on someone on hisroute is among the standout tracks. The American Analog Set fortunatelynever suffer from sounding overly self-conscious in their music, andretain a distinct sense of humor evident in both their song titles andlyrics. 'Know By Heart' is certainly a piece of ear candy, but at thesame time, it skillfully avoids falling into a saccharine trap.
Self-described as "a ghostly meditation on the aesthetics of late nighttrain travel", 'Overnight' is the third album by Chessie, a one-timesolo project of Stephen Gardner which has grown to a duo with theaddition of Ben Bailes. Perhaps it's the addition of a second set ofears that has reined in Gardner's tendency on previous releases to flitsomewhat disconcertingly between fragile ambience and restrainedaggression. The nine tracks on 'Overnight' flawlessly swirl and flowtogether, creating an engrossing and abstract sonic landscape ofabstract samples, ambient electronics, guitar, piano and more. Fans ofartists like Labradford and Stars Of The Lid will very likely find muchto appreciate here.
Following a successful US tour, Knoxville, Tennessee's Superdrag wentoff for Japan, one of those countries where people are capable of beingutterly more popular than they are here. Like Sweden. And while theywere there, they released this, a tour EP of new songs, old songs, anda few cover songs. The intention was to release it on their label's(Arena Rock Recording Co.) website so fans could order it. That tookawhile, due to dissatisfaction with the initial release. New mixing wasdone, the release was delayed, and now a limited number are availableon the website. And what do we have? Kind of a mixed bag, which you'dhave to expect from Superdrag. The new songs, like "Baby Goes ToEleven" and "Take Your Spectre Away" are good, but you get the feelingthat Superdrag is getting more emotional with age. Where is theballs-out shrikeing rock we've heard before. And I'm not really fond of"bass guy" Sam Power's lead vocals on stu. I've grown accustomed toJohn Davis' wail, thank you, so give me more of it. And two tracks,"Bloody Hell" and "Liquor," first on their independent release "TheFabulous 8-track Sound of Superdrag," are missing the power of thoseearly recordings. In fact, "Liquor" is even missing the first verse!The only thing that made this release worthwhile for me was the covers.Any chance to hear Superdrag cover The Replacements ("Bastards ofYoung," no less), and I'm there. But then, just to keep thosecomparisons ever-present, they cover the Kinks classic "You Really GotMe." Now here's the band that Superdrag most reminds people of, and forgood reason. At their best, Superdrag are just as hook-laden, just asrawking, and just as cohesive musically. "Greetings From Tennessee" isnot Superdrag at their best: it's for the diehard fan only. And forthose last two songs, it's worth it. Can't wait for LP4 in Spring 2002.
Ven Voisey, a Californian composer with a most dubious name (do youthink he was born with "v"s for initials? My bet's on "not likely"),has been quietly self-publishing some of the most stunning anddisarmingly unpretentious DIY computer music in America with little tono fanfare? so far. To correct that, here's a bunch of fanfare for hisnew 17-minute piece. "Things Collapse?" begins with a patiently growingcloud of soft hiss. A masterful moment occurs in which the hissmetamorphoses suddenly into a blurry acoustic guitar (in theelectronically-enhanced hands of Voisey, it takes on a lovelycello-like quality) and is finally overtaken by churning white noiseand room sound. But to simply describe the linear events of the pieceis to miss the assured, seemingly effortless meaningfulness somehowimbued into each sound element, a quality which involves the listenerright away and commands attention for the duration. I could comparev.v. to vaguely similar composers (Roel Meelkop and the THU20 folksspring to mind), but comparisons are a cop-out, so I won't bother.Certainly this EP is a fine piece of electronic music which I highlyrecommend tracking down.