- Mark Weddle
- Albums and Singles
This 2cd set (this being the limited edition version with 'bonus' cd)features 2 live shows in Germany from late 1984, not long after thedeparture of Peter Christopherson and John Balance (Coil). Here we havethe very beginnings of the 'hyperdelic' song based period, though thebulk of these tracks are still in the experimental vein of the early tomid '80s. PTV were notorious for not practicing for gigs and, well, itshows. Sometimes I wonder if anyone on stage was actually aware of whatanyone else on stage was doing at any given time. It often seems likerandom jamming, noise and feedback ... in a bad way. A really bad way.The 'songs' are loosely arranged with Genesis mumbling, yelling,bellowing, howling and/or occasionally singing over them here andthere. Those that should be recognizable, like "Unclean" and "Godstar",barely are and are lame in comparison to their studio counterparts. Thesound on both discs is bootleg quality: poorly mixed, distant and fuzzywith audience members clearly chatting amongst themselves. Disc 2,which I guess is the 'bonus' disc, is ironically the better of the twoas the band is much tighter and competent, but only marginally so. Andwith 7 tracks exceeding 11 minutes in length this is simply cruel andinhumane punishment. As for the packaging, it's not much better. Thecover drawing is the most redeeming quality as the insert offers only 1b/w picture of Genesis, track listings, copyright info and web siteurls with nothing in the way of liner notes. Everything about thisreeks of bootleg despite it being an official release from Cold SpringRecords. Definitely for die hard PTV fans only. As for me, I'll stickto the studio albums. May I please have my $18 back?.
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- note - It wasn't worth the hassle of listening to any more of this to find 3 minutes worth of redeemable music to make mp3s.
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- Jason Olariu
- Albums and Singles
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- Jason Olariu
- Albums and Singles
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- Mark Weddle
- Albums and Singles
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- Daniel McKernan
- Albums and Singles
In a word: excellent! Funny, funky hip hop from one of the manymembers of the Wu-Tang Clan. For those with a not-so-uptight sense ofhumor, this album is really great - laughs from start to finish at thelewd and crude lyrics of Big Baby Jesus. ODB repeatedly displays hisinability to really sing, but does so in a very catchy way, along withthe accompaniment of various other flavorful backing vocalists. "Idon't have no trouble wit you fuckin' me - but I gotta little problemwit you not fuckin' me" is a rhyme in "Got Your Money" - a must for allwomanizer fans. It isn't all sexist humor, though; there is theoccasional drug and violence reference. Despite being one of TipperGore's worst nightmares, though, the album is unique in its genre -nice to own even for those who aren't normally into hip hop and/or theWu. Pretty much, if nothing else, this CD is a violent sleaze-fest ofpretentious dirtiness that makes you shake that ass.
samples:
- Cold Blooded
- Got Your money (feat. Kellis)
- I Can't Wait
- Recognize (feat. Chris Rock)
- Rollin Wit You
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- Alan Ezust and Julie Geanakakis
- Albums and Singles
Kate Messick, vocalistfrom Unto Ashes, appears with composer/lyricist James Babbo on thisalbum, and her full upfront vocals seem flatter and less textured thanon Moon Oppose Moon. The whole CD is rather spartan in its composition,featuring a guitar, some ambient synths, and almost no percussion. Thefantastic art-nouveau cover art belies the very simplistic andslow-tempoed droning vocals that persist in track after track -Messick's voice has it's own beauty although here it's relativelyunadorned and the melodies Babbo writes lack dimension and depth. Quitepleasing to the ear though.samples:
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- Alan Ezust and Julie Geanakakis
- Albums and Singles
Featuring a wide array ofexotic old and world instruments, fused with modern electronics andvocals in three different languages, Unto Ashes blends the renaissancefolk goth genres into a melange of pathos. Kit Messick's vocals arehauntingly sad on Teach Me How To Drown. Quid Vides begins as a verymellow chant and evolves into Arabic-Turkish dance. Michael Laird'svoice, reminiscent of Art Garfunkel, sounds so peaceful, and his songsare so pretty, yet rather incongruous when he sings about drowning andmisery, as in Scourge. Der letze Ritter sounds like early-period DeadCan Dance, featuring crashing percussion and hyperactive dulcimers. Thediscordant melodies and hand-drum in Conjuration to Lilith gives apagan ritual finale to the recording. Highly recommended. [ed note: To obtain the release, the best place would be at www.untoashes.com] samples:
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- Daniel McKernan
- Albums and Singles
From the first few notesof this CD, it is evident as to why Volcano the Bear is one of StevenStapleton's favorite new groups. With a very diverse instrumentation,ranging from distorted keyboards to horns to strings to live drums,this album whirls into extremely unpredictable directions. At onemoment it's harsh and almost nerve-irking; and at another it's soothingand beautiful. Some tracks feature vocals - a unique voice with a veryeerie feeling to it. The whole album really does drip with a sinkingemotion that you can't quite grasp - full of twists and turns thatleave the listener just plain dumbfounded.samples:
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- Mark Weddle
- Albums and Singles
David Coulter is a multiinstrumentalist who was a contributing member of the Pogues and TestDept., has played with Peter Hammill, The Kronos Quartet, Marc Ribot,Talvin Singh and Roger Eno among others and currently lectures atStratford-upon-Avon College. "INterVENTION" is his solo debut viaMichael Gira's (SWANS, The Angels of Light) Young God Records. Of the13 tracks found here, the majority were recorded between 1996-99 invarious European locations with several different guests, including:Marc Ribot, Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello) and Terry Edwards. To give youan idea of the extensive amount of instrumentation used, here is a listof *just* the stuff Coulter plays: jews harp, krar, soprano andbaritone sax, one-string fiddle, violin, accordion, terracotta pottsand paper, violectra, double bass, soprano saw, shaker, viola, variousdidjeridus, bowed bass, hand claps, guitar, and berimbau. Wow! Themusic is rather difficult to explain (which is good) ... textureddrones, percussive bits, unidentifiable/found sounds and a few spokenword passages and wailing vocal parts. The end result is full butuncluttered, experimentally minded meditations with an almost alien,organic/acoustic flavor throughout. The singing saw and guttural chantsfound in a few pieces took some getting used to but most of the albumis soothing rather than abrasive. And all of it is remarkably differentand interesting. Leave it to Gira to find and release something thiscool, hopefully a sign of things to come from Young God.samples:
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- Mark Weddle
- Albums and Singles
Richard H. Kirk is backonce again, this time resurrecting theElectronic Eye moniker for the first time in 5 years. It doesn't muchmatter which name Kirk uses ... Cabaret Voltaire, Sandoz, Sandoz inDub, Trafficante, Dark Magus, Nitrogen, Sweet Exorcist, Al Jabr, Agentswith False Memories, his given name, etc. ... you always have a generalidea of what to expect from his frequent output. Kirk has donevariations of the same thing for the past decade but he's so damn goodat it it never gets tiresome. He has figured out a way to basicallyremain static without stagnating. "Neurometrik" clocks in just shy of70 minutes with most tracks between 5 and 7 minutes in length. All theusual RHK elements are here: ambient synth textures (including somevery familiar sounds from 1993's "Virtual State"), dub effects, staticand noise, radio transmissions, speech and dialogue samples,ethnic/tribal/jazz samples and loops, massive techno beats and basslines ... a big, thick, danceable sonic soup that sounds asclaustrophobic and paranoid as Kirk is himself. The production is goodwith feedback and grit kept to a minimum and my God are there someabsolutely thumpin' tracks this time around. Yet another great one fromthe master. The 8 page insert displays more of Kirk's concern withtechnological and political oppression via his cryptic, blurred imagesand an adaptation of a letter about a 'financial new order' from theZapatista National Liberation Army of Mexico. Look for the new RichardH. Kirk album "Loopstatic" via Touch in March/April and, no doubt,several more discs throughout the year.samples:
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- Jon Whitney
- Albums and Singles
