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19 January 2003

Michael Patrick Brady

Albums and Singles

Bloodshot

Country music is a genre marred by the Nashville Network-popularizedimages of ten-gallon hats, Shania Twain, and the "Achy Breaky Heart."Its history has been buried by line dancers and crossover hits, andthis mainstream face is often enough to make your average rock musicfan plug their ears and refuse to even entertain the thought oflistening to country music. But just as the crème de la crème of rockand electronica won't be found with a spin of the radio dial, a closerlook must be taken at artists like Neko Case who make meaningful musicthat acknowledges the rich past of country music and Americana. Nekotakes a much subtler turn on her third full-length album than on herprevious efforts. Eschewing the bright, twangy sound of 2000's superb'Furnace Room Lullaby,' 'Blacklisted' feels like a smoke-filled room,dark and foggy, but with a definite sting. The hushed, plucked acousticguitar of "Things That Scare Me" sets the late night mood of the albumwhile racing along at a gallop. Banjos, strings, and vibraphones playsupporting roles throughout the album, but the true star of'Blacklisted' is Neko's voice. She manages to lend a delicacy to herlyrics while singing with such force and emotion on tracks like"Runnin' Out of Fools" and "Deep Red Bells" that you'll fall out ofyour chair. Songs like "I Wish I Were The Moon" lament loneliness,while on "Look For Me (I'll Be Around)," Case is dangerously close toresembling a stalker. Heartache, longing, loneliness, and obsession arecommon subject matters, but the passion in her voice conveys asincerity and honesty that makes 'Blacklisted' a truly powerful album.It's the soundtrack to a sleepless night, lying in the dark, listeningto the rain where you can't stop thinking about that one person and howyou don't know where they are, or who they're with. Forget about thebaggage that country music has been tagged with. To allow preconceptionand prejudice to stand between you and this work would be a seriousmistake.

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19 January 2003

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Nearly one year after his debut EP, Massimo returns with his first full-length album. For 38 minutes, this Sicilian never fails to entertain with an intense soundstream that is both twisted and distorted. Like the noisemakers of the late 1970's and early 1980's, he explores a pure lust for noise, using and abusing every possible effect to achieve amazing results. Additionally, any playback unit used becomes yet another distortion device as the LED display remains in the red zone constantly.

Mego

'Hello Dirty' is like a cyberpunk album jumping out of the future. The sounds are reminiscent of data streams in annoying bitrates while the moods switch from melancholy, lonesome production lines to sheer information overload. Imagine the hell of an overcrowded, advertisement-saturated shopping mall combined with the emotional landscape of modern societies' lost dreams and possibilities. To achieve the full effect, this recording needs to be played loud. No noise addict should miss out on this one, as it's fun to listen to, neatly packed, and one of the finest electronic splatter works in a long time.¬†

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19 January 2003

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Thrill Jockey

I can safely say I haven't been this excited about a Sea and Cake albumsince 1997's 'The Fawn.' After a 2+ year hiatus, the quartet of SamPrekop, Archer Prewitt, John McEntire and Eric Claridge enter theirtenth year of releasing music together with what could easily be theyear's first masterpiece. By 2000, I honestly felt their sound wasbecoming flat, predictable and tired, both from the 'Oui' album andafter seeing a concert where every song sounded almost exactly alike.'One Bedroom' isn't a distant departure from their springy, tropicosound which resounds with a fondness of summertime, warm weather andpalm trees—but is a distinguishable evolution—incorporating only enoughmore instrumentation and variety to keep it natural sounding whilemaintaining an undeniable attractiveness that is truly intoxicating. Itopens with a perfect introduction: the fast-paced, "Four Corners" comesequipped with a three-minute instrumental lead, and from there thegroup springboards into the pleasant "Left Side Clouded," and the nerdypost-electro-funk "Hotel Tell." Punchy mid-tempo electronic jams like"Le Baron," and "Shoulder Length," can easily stop anybody whereverthey are and move uncontrollably to the rhythm while the rimshot-heavytitle track is smooth like a Piña Colada on an unpopulated sunny beach.To me, this album sounds like the time spent away has made the quartetmore fond of playing and making music together. They sound like they'rehaving fun and that this album isn't obligatory in any way. Even thealbum's closer, their tasteful cover of Bowie's "Sound and Vision" is aperfect clue that this group isn't the stuffy lot of artsy jazz fansfrom Chicago that indie record store snobs might have you believe.

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19 January 2003

Albums and Singles

The debut solo release from Berlin-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Masha Qrella (Contriva, Mina) is a collection of relaxed pop songwriting, based mostly around the acoustic guitar and vocals approach. Once layered with drum loops, keys, synth patches, punchy bass and the odd electric guitar, the disc's eleven tunes tend to flourish nicely while maintaining their straight-ahead direction, showcasing the compositions.

12 January 2003

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Bip-Hop

"It's coming fast, it's a Komet!" Damned if I haven't put the wrong CDin the digipack again, I raved about that Wire EP ages ago... "It'sKoming up your arse!" Look you bastards, you aren't supposed to takethese unscientific Brain polls so seriously. I can hardly move here forWhitehouse mix tapes and it's hard to find all the CDs I didn't getround to reviewing last year. One of these was the two way electrofuckof Komet and Bovine Life. Berliner Frank Bretschneider does to hypnoticechochamber pulsebeat what opiated dubs would do to your brain if onlyyou had one. This he calls Komet and you can too if you want people toknow what you're on about when you name drop in the record shop. Hemight move in a straight line but it's a very nice and relaxing line,not lacking in momentum yet immersive. There I go thinking about Wirelike I always do. If you had a room Frank would paint it white. But hisnetmate Chris Dooks (an Edinburgh man himself) would probably splashgravity rainbows of multicoloured chaos all over it, and roll aboutlike a happy pig. That's what happens when the Komet collides with theBovine. In less esoteric and more boring but perhaps moreunderstandable terms, Komet takes a mouse and keypad to Bovine Life andclicks him up in clunky chunky robofunk. Then Bovine Life does the sameto Komet's "Flex" and they call it "Flux," as more scraped and jaggedmeltdown spasms strain to step over and throttle the accelerated beat.Then Komet steps up to roll off four deep groove tricks of precisionthrob chromkomohmsog. This is the best part of the CD and is as good asI've heard from Komet, who is firing on all cylinders here. Nextsequence is four collaborations, Komet hitting Bovine twice and viceversa. The first of these makes it difficult to finish the reviewwithout using that word 'bleep' that irritates Jon Whitney so much.Luckily Komet's angular reply is deeper (godamnit where's mythesaurus?). You could nod out to this Komet shit but a sloppy sevenstrong suite of Bovine Life's babbling brooktronix closes the disc,nudging out into further rhythmic dimensions and stutteringdistraction. Imagine the consequences for Space Invaders escaping froma Japanese keyring toy and left gasping for air in an alien atmosphere.Ok, don't then, it really doesn't matter to me. Although in somerespects they come from almost opposite ends of the beat spectrum,their collaboration works and flows well. Just in case the music isn'tenough, there are extensive notes in the booklet to help you understandwhere their heads were at when they knocked 'em together. And they'vestuck your granny's bathroom wallpaper on the cover.

samples:

Komet - Chrom
Bovine Life vs. Komet - (Second Question)
Bovine Life - 60 Minutes Strictly II

12 January 2003

Administrator

Albums and Singles

DGM

It was probably around 1979 when I first heard the KC's "Earthbound," alive album featuring the 1971-2 incarnation of the band. That editionof KC was a good band. The rhythm section was relentless, monsterousand unforgiving, Fripp's chops had got to the point that he could holdhis own and then there was the horn blower Mel Collins Ð like ahyper-caffineated hybrid of Coltraine and Hendrix, he had the strength,creativity and stamina to step out as sax front man for this alreadyhigly dynamic band. So I'm delighted to have a new double CD of livematerial from that band's European and US tours. "Earthbound" isspecial for me in large measure because of the solos on 21st CentuarySchizoid Man. Collins' and Fripp just rip it up on that cut Ð it isunspeakably exciting. Listening to it, I often wind up doing a full-onair-sax solo in the middle of my living room. Now here's the reallygreat part: CD 2 of "Ladies of the Road" is a medly of 21stCSM solos!It opens with the song's melody but after that it's a dozen or so editsof blazing guitar and sax solos with varied sound quality, crudelyspliced together. That's a whole unrelenting hour of air-guitar andair-sax action for the energetic listener Ð quite a work-out! So,depending on your take of the 21stCSM on Earthbound, this CD will beeither a godsend or tortuous. But back to CD1, it has basically eightcuts including Pictures of a City, Formentera, Sailors Tale, Groon,Bearings and a complete 21stCSM, all of wich have good sound qualityand really good solos. Boz Burrell isn't history's greatest singer buthis contribution is somehow enchantingly dated and English (as was hissucessor John Wetton, strangely enough). Extravagant extemporisation isso much to the fore here that it almost has that jazz aspect of thetunes only being there to lead into and out of the solos. Fripp hasoften said that while KC's studio albums from 69 through 74 may beworthy in their own way, they do not at all reflect what the band waslike live. Given evidence such as this I can only agree. While thestudio albums were composed and disciplined the live bands were wildand furious, borderline out of control at times. The 4 CD set "Epitah"demonstrated the difference for the 69 band, then the "Nightwatch"double CD did so for the 73-4 band, a better document than USA, and now"Ladies of the Road" completes the task for the 71-2 band, similarlyeclipsing "Earthbound." DGM's KC Collectors' Club has released a greatdeal of live material from the 69-74 period, some of which is reallyonly for the devoted fan, but, like "Epitah" and "Nightwatch," "Ladiesof the Road" is an essential item for anyone who likes KC.

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12 January 2003

Albums and Singles

After 'Farewell,' band turmoil took its toll, and the band saw somepersonnel changes as well as battles with their label. In the end, theShoal needed a change, and joined together with fellow Maine bandTarpigh, who created strange music with Middle Eastern instruments. Theband played a few shows together, at the same time that the Shoal wereinvited to write a soundtrack to two silent films by a friend, TimFolland. In a brave move, Folland asked the band to improvise whilewatching the films, and record their first takes only as thesoundtracks. Cerberus Shoal was up to the challenge, and even broughtTarpigh along for the ride. The resulting album is two pieces, namedafter the films they accompany, and the two bands liked the experienceso much they joined together as Cerberus Shoal. The release marks aserious style shift for the Shoal, one that would affect their soundforever. Some elements are still there from the 'Farewell' era, likeSutherland's low bass, the always skilled drumming of Tom Rogers, andthe droning guitars. But the addition of Tarpigh brought about a newexperimental side to the Shoal. The improvised nature of theproceedings seems like it became almost a blueprint for futureprojects, where the band would just "let go." Eric LaPerna's percussionis a central point here, and on every Shoal release since. Gone are thesung vocals, replaced with something far deeper and more disturbing.Tim Harbeson, multi-instrumentalist who wields trumpet, flute,recorder, and accordion here, is the real star, switching and addingflavors on a whim. "Elements of Structure" starts out fairly tempered,but then slows in the middle only to explode at the end in a sprawlingjam that resolves in a piano/guitar/percussion soother. This is thebest Cerberus Shoal, the evolution towards something better."Permanence," the longer of the two tracks, is also more of a jam thanthe first. Each member gets moments to spread wings and fly, making forsome interesting solos and expanses. Having never seen the film, Iimagine each solo as a new character like "Peter and the Wolf." Orperhaps each solo is a new lament or crisis point. Either way, theapproach is very effective, and the music is moving, indeed. And withtwo tracks at over 57 minutes of music, it's an egrossing listen. Bothof these reissues are defining releases for Cerberus Shoal, andavailable for the first time in years. Don't miss out this time.

samples:

12 January 2003

Administrator

Albums and Singles

After 'Farewell,' band turmoil took its toll, and the band saw somepersonnel changes as well as battles with their label. In the end, theShoal needed a change, and joined together with fellow Maine bandTarpigh, who created strange music with Middle Eastern instruments. Theband played a few shows together, at the same time that the Shoal wereinvited to write a soundtrack to two silent films by a friend, TimFolland. In a brave move, Folland asked the band to improvise whilewatching the films, and record their first takes only as thesoundtracks. Cerberus Shoal was up to the challenge, and even broughtTarpigh along for the ride. The resulting album is two pieces, namedafter the films they accompany, and the two bands liked the experienceso much they joined together as Cerberus Shoal. The release marks aserious style shift for the Shoal, one that would affect their soundforever. Some elements are still there from the 'Farewell' era, likeSutherland's low bass, the always skilled drumming of Tom Rogers, andthe droning guitars. But the addition of Tarpigh brought about a newexperimental side to the Shoal. The improvised nature of theproceedings seems like it became almost a blueprint for futureprojects, where the band would just "let go." Eric LaPerna's percussionis a central point here, and on every Shoal release since. Gone are thesung vocals, replaced with something far deeper and more disturbing.Tim Harbeson, multi-instrumentalist who wields trumpet, flute,recorder, and accordion here, is the real star, switching and addingflavors on a whim. "Elements of Structure" starts out fairly tempered,but then slows in the middle only to explode at the end in a sprawlingjam that resolves in a piano/guitar/percussion soother. This is thebest Cerberus Shoal, the evolution towards something better."Permanence," the longer of the two tracks, is also more of a jam thanthe first. Each member gets moments to spread wings and fly, making forsome interesting solos and expanses. Having never seen the film, Iimagine each solo as a new character like "Peter and the Wolf." Orperhaps each solo is a new lament or crisis point. Either way, theapproach is very effective, and the music is moving, indeed. And withtwo tracks at over 57 minutes of music, it's an egrossing listen. Bothof these reissues are defining releases for Cerberus Shoal, andavailable for the first time in years. Don't miss out this time.

samples:

12 January 2003

Michael Patrick Brady

Albums and Singles

Too Pure

The majority of buzz surrounding this Welch rock trio has been fortheir latest release and its rough, dynamic energy cast as 'Surfer Rosa2002.' Engineered by Steve Albini, 'Do Dallas' certainly features allthe sonic hallmarks of that seminal influence, with fuzzed-out, franticguitars and a pummeling rhythm section. Rather than Black Francis'verge-of-a-mental-breakdown vocals, we're treated to a sneering AndyFalkous, who is all attitude, confidently convinced that his band isbetter than your band, and more than willing to go head to head toprove it. He delivers with conviction, occasionally dissolving intofits of yelps or slurred syllables in his effort to demonstrate hissupremacy. Mclusky is a tight, energetic group with a guitar that cutslike a serrated knife and their lyrics are almost as sharp as theirlicks, with highlights like "We take more drugs than a touring funkband" and "I'm fearful / I'm fearful / I'm fearful of flying / andflying is fearful of me!" It is a little disconcerting that some of thelyrics seem to crib from other sources, for example, the 'touring funkband' line is from the late comedian Bill Hicks, while a quote from TheSimpsons pops up near the end of the disc. Also, their swagger fails attimes, and Mclusky's bravado comes off as trite, like a confusedplayground taunt ("All your friends are cunts / your mother's aballpoint pen thief") or too cutely ironic and self-referential likethe quiet filler track "Fuck This Band." Straight ahead, surging rocktracks like "Dethink to Survive" show that they can make the familiarsound exciting, while "Clique Application Form," a noisy, shamblingtrack with shouts of "Never been kissed! Never been kissed!" mayforeshadow future attempts to broach new territory. Despite thederivative aspects, 'Mclusky Do Dallas' manages to be exhilarating andentertaining in its brief thirty-five minutes. When Falkous commandsyou to "sing it!" on the standout "To Hell With Good Intentions," youfeel compelled to do something, maybe yell or bark or pump your fist.His band may not be better than your band (In fact, they might haveripped your band off a little), but 'Do Dallas' is a fun, albeitbrainless record. Just don't expect it to stay in your CD player fortoo long.

samples:

Sonna, "Smile and the World Smiles With You"

Neko Case, "Blacklisted"

Massimo, "Hello Dirty"

the sea and cake, "one bedroom"

Masha Qrella, "Luck"

Masha Qrella, "Luck"

KOMET +/VS. BOVINE LIFE, "RECIPROCESS 01"

King Crimson, "Ladies of the Road"

Cerberus Shoal "...And Farewell to Hightide" / "Elements of Structure/Permanence"

Cerberus Shoal "...And Farewell to Hightide" / "Elements of Structure/Permanence"

McLusky, "McLusky Do Dallas"