The delayed echoes of pretty guitars with thumps and rhtyhms washingover the first few tracks make this album sound like a dead ringer forBlack Dice. However, Bringing Up Babyis the latest time-forgotten gem of the United Dairies label to bereintroduced to the public. Originally released by Steven Stapleton'slabel in 1981, the reissue of this CD was not an effortless move. Notonly are the original masters unavailable, but the original members arenowhere to be found (hence the note inside urging communication withthe musicians). The French label Fractal has done a fantastic job bycommissioning a mastering job from an excellent vinyl copy, usingscratch reducing technology, and making it sound far better than therecording I made from the record for personal enjoyment. Additionally,Fractal has honorably used all the original artwork from the cover andrecord itself in this CD issue. The duo of Matt Mullen and Jim Friedmanrecorded only this one album as Musique Concret and one known track fora Come Organisation compilation and then vanished without a trace. Sideone of the original record consists of four parts of "Incidents inRural Places." Here, soundscapes are created with guitars, delays, lowfrequency bass, slowed down effects, backwards manipulation, andoccasional sounds from old records and lullabies trying to push theirway through the surface of twisted effects much like somebody trying tocrawl to the surface after being buried alive. Side two opens with thethunderous prog-rockin'-your-foundation "Organorganorgan," where themusicianship is flaunted by dueling solos on a truly evil soundingfuzzy organ. It closes with the nearly 14 minute track "Wreath Pose atSacrifice" which could easily be appreciated by any early NWW fan. It'san opus with numerous movements, opening with sounds of pots, pans,twisted metal, and what could be tooth brushing accompanied by very fewreal instruments making a faint melody, continuing with the ripping,distorted sounds of what could be explosions and wind, giving way tothe climax with all the distortions alongside a groovy drum machineloop, and ending with warped old music bleeding through a fuzzy AMradio. This CD happily sits on the shelf next to other UD classics likeMasstishaddhu, aching for the day they're joined by equally ashonorable reissues of Robert Haigh and Asmus Tietchens.Read More
