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It's hard to know what to make of these two CDs. Both individuallybejewel-cased CDs have the same name and track titles. The cover art isalso identical except that one is the photographic negative of theother. Let's call the one + and the other -. I came to this releasewith no prior experience of V/Vm except for the curiously dismal littleAphex Twin CDs last year. I gave it my best positivist shot, avoidinginterpretation to see where it takes me. Not very far, as it turnedout. + is collection of lo-fi, vaguely dreamy soundscapes. It's almostlike an exercise in the various styles of early 90s ambient electronica-- drones, soft looping techno bleepery, some airy beats, plenty ofswooshes, all with a slathering of reverb and echo. But the variety isonly from track to track -- each piece is a static presentation of oneidea, which would be fine if it were a good one. None of them reallyhave anything to enjoy. The effect when listing through the album isthat ones hopes rise as each new track begins, perhaps because a changeis as good as a break, but then fall again, ever deeper, as you realizethat each one of them is a dreary, unimaginative regurgitation ofalready over-worked ideas, neither taking the respective genre forwardsnor a competent stylistic statement. Soon the pattern becomes apparentand one learns to temper the little lifts that each new track brings.The other disk, -, is in fact exactly the same in every respect exceptgenre. - is an exercise in 90s electronic noise. Noise is about sonicdiscovery and confrontation and demands entirely different skills fromthe electronica of +. The lift in hope as a track starts a bit biggerthan on +, and is occasionally even exciting for a moment but this iscompensated by a much faster decline. The overall trajectory as the CDprogresses is severe. The paucity of imagination is blatant. Is thatthe point? I wonder. I decided finally to allow interpretation ofintent into the equation; the packaging, after all, seems to demand it.V/Vm's Queen Mother tribute announcement shown on the Brain recentlyprovided a handy reference point. It seems that V/Vm is a bit of aprankster but everything I found shows the same lack of imagination,skill or entertainment value as the music. I developed the impressionthat what we have here is a no-talent faker embittered with resentmentof the achievements of others trying to work up an ultra-pomo mythologyto shroud the bad art. I went back to the CDs and, yes, that fits too.A one word summary? Wank. samples:
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Music should never be judged purely. It should be judged on how 'wrong'or how 'right' it feels in the ears of them who listen. This may not bea reason why V/Vm have taken the trouble to simultaneously release twovery different selections of 'good things' which they claim areactually the same. Both discs have twelve tracks with the same titles.Previous plunderous releases enabled by the VVMCPS laws such as 'SickLove' might be aptly described as corny, but make no mistake it's wheaton the cover of these two. This is pure germ of V/Vm - remember theearliest V/Vm 12" releases or the Fat Cat split with Third EyeFoundation and that'll give you some idea of what to expect from the CDwith the regular yellow wheat. If I wanted to be cheeky I could tellyou that this is what it would sound like if V/Vm helped Aphex Twinwithout doing any hacking, but I know Jim's sickly traumatised by thedeath of the racist granny robot so I'll try not to mention AFX and hisinfluence again. Whatever, this is the sound of V/Vm distilled to pureessence of wheat beer hoedown direct from the mythical school thatplays records with wooden styli. The inverted blue wheat disc is likethe imagined brick bashing your head the next day in hangover city. Myguess was that it's the same tracks but crunched up through distortionand ring modulation and all that fun stuff, but someone in the knowsays this is not so, and the two CD's are not exactly the same lengtheither. In fact there's so much of that digital processing on the blueone that even though its massive robot noise approaches all consumingnuclear meltdown the sound seems to run a bit thin at times. Obviouslythe blue one is the one for noise heads to hear, just don't mentionMerzbow. A lot of it actually sounds like it could be mashed uprecordings of explosions. "The View Below Me Was Always the Same" isthe deceptively titled intro to each CD. Yellow is Caretaker type organswells. Blue is a discordant ring modulator sweep punctuated byexplosions. "The Truth is Dead" is the conclusion they reach before theunderwater Aphex beat excursion "Some Things Look Better Baby." Sorry Iforgot I said I wouldn't mention that Twin again. This far into theblue disc and it's deafening machine grind all the way until completelyfucked relentless deaf disco splatters brains. The idea is probablythat the yellow one is right in that its more conventionally tuneful,but wrong in that this kind of thing is not expected of V/Vm; blue iswrong in that it's a big noise but right in that it confirms V/Vm'sreputation for making big cacophony. But how did it make me feel? Theblue one made me feel like a daffodil in a rainstorm but the yellow onemade me feel like a witch in beat. With all this hack lack and wheatygoodness V/Vm will be claiming they're serious artists next. But ofcourse they always were? samples:
So, the goal is to figure out which one is right and which one iswrong? Actually, I find that the best way to listen to each of these isat the same time. Not all the tunes match up, but if you've got aboombox and a home stereo in your livingroom, try one disc in eitherand hit play. You won't have any goofy delays like that goddamnedFlaming Lips thingy! Do I hear porn sounds? -
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It really seems like every other week Bob Pollard has a new record out,doesn't it? He has a myriad of bands to play with, he was an anxiouslabel in Rockathon, ready to release whatever he graces them with, andhe's on the cover of Magnet every other week, so Mr. Pollard does havea fan base to keep up with, it would seem. With a new Guided By Voicesrecord coming in June - the band are back on Matador this go around -Bob tides the fans over with this, his second effort with formerbandmate Tobin Sprout. Is is time to for Mr. Pollard to throw in thetowel with these side collaborations? Almost, by my estimation. Thistime around, Airport 5 are darker, grittier, and more lo-fi thanbefore. Bob seems intent on providing as many vocal tracks as possible,and that means double-tracking, doing his own background vocals, andbasically monopolizing the mike. Sprout's instrumentation is, asalways, acceptable and worthy of the treatment. But, again, this typeof collaboration seems to suffer by the lack of face-to-facecollaboration. Some of the vocal tracks are so rough, it'sembarrassing, but only given GBV's recent love of real recordingequipment - the vocals would be right at home on earlier releases bythe band. The lyrics are quirky, and, for the most part, Pollard doesnot over exert himself in order to hit notes he shouldn't. And thealbum is not without highlights, or, in this case, moments that work.'Yellow Wife No. 5' and 'I Can't Freeze Anymore' are among the bestsongs Pollard and Sprout have EVER recorded. But the album as a wholeis close to forgettable. And short. In short, if you're a GBV fan, thiswill serve to tide you over. If you're not, you won't be wowed orpushed away. (Is this what was meant by the rumor that Matador askedPollard to pair down the projects he worked on because they thoughthe'd clutter the marketplace with work that was not as polished as GBV,and buyers would have a problem knowing just what to buy?) - samples:
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Austinite Michael "Thor" Harris is practically a modern day renaissance man: multi-instrumentalist, painter, art and bicycle repair instructor and environmentally conscious DIY home builder. He has appeared on many others albums and performed live locally and nation-wide, but he's probably best known outside Austin city limits as percussionist for Michael Gira's The Angels of Light.He thoroughly confounded and impressed me on the Angels' debut tour in 1999 with his highly energetic and physical attacks, alternated conversely with delicate melodies and textures. For "Fields of Innards" Thor (with fellow Austinite Rob Halverson) has constructed, as the subtitle states, "a hand played ambient record" that shares sensibilities with the Angels' more subtle backdrops. The disc is comprised of a dozen untitled, instrumental tracks all less than five minutes apiece, but consider it one continuous 45 minute piece. It sounds like Thor used many of the same tools here as with the Angels: percussion, hammer dulcimer, xylophone, glockenspiel, vibes and water bowls. This percussive palette of mostly mellow dings and pings is augmented with stringed plucks and drones, a bit of organ and found sounds such as trodden leaves. It's all very tranquil and graceful, carefully composed and impeccably recorded, trickling by like a refreshing, remote brook. But don't think of it merely as ear candy for there's not a trace of New Age ickiness is to be found anywhere. Thor's approach is both experimental and melodic, with occasional accents reminiscent of music boxes, the Middle East and the Far East. "Fields of Innards" is a genuinely affective ambient album that has become my new nightly soundtrack for sleep. Check out http://maryt.home.texas.net/thorsite/ for more info.
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Kenseth Thibideau and Marty Anderson are Howard Hello, and on this,their debut on Temporary Residence, the announce themselves far moreeffectively than the name might imply. Given that Thibideau's previouswork was with Tarentel, you could expect that the record would havesome similar elements, and that it would be a strong, gorgeous release.That it is. The soundscape is mainly familiar-sounding melodies thathave been recorded, then edited, jumbled, and extrapolated to make newcompositions on top of the old structure. There are guitar melodies,organs, keyboards: instruments of all types are used. The compositionsthat are created are very ambient, full, and spellbinding. And MartyAnderson's voice is purely haunting, adding a fantastic element to theproceedings. The ambient vocals by Wendy Allen are also stunning, and,at times, the vocals are the only part you can clearly follow, as theyare the main element, saved from being cut-up and reproduced. Theamazing thing is, even though elements are repeated - Anderson's vocalon 'Revolution,' melodies - the music never sounds repetitive or stale.It gets into your head, burrowing way down deep. This is a dynamicsound, with elements being added as the song progresses, allowing it togrow, swell, climax, and then fade away, leaving you with the scars.And there will be after you've heard this, believe me. An excellentdebut, well deserving of your hard-earned cash. Your ears have beenwaiting for something like this again. samples:
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Hot on the heels of the Deep Space double live album "Largely Live InHartlepool & Manchester", Jah Wobble has already assembled a newunit, toured and recorded another live album. Solaris is Wobble onclean bass, longtime collaborator Bill Laswell on distorted bass,composer Harold Budd on piano and keyboards, Graham Haynes on cornetand electronics and Jaki Leibezeit of Can on drums. It's almost a caseof too much talent for one group but, as you'd expect from improvisersof this caliber, each and every member knows their place and they sharethe limelight admirably. The starting point is Budd's modal scales onpiano, then Wobble's relentlessly repetitious (yet infectious) basspatterns, then Leibezeit's metronomic snare-centric beat. Haynes,Laswell and Budd then texture wrap the groove with ambient backdropsand kinda sorta solos. The group gels, ebbs, flows and orgasms in equaldoses, their sound more jazzy than Deep Space's worldliness. With threeof the four tracks in the 19 to 25 minute range, it's all about gettinginto the comfort zone of the groove. The two part 'The Mystery ofTwilight', 45 minutes total, is most engaging as overdriven riffs burnalongside a heavy duty rhythmic propulsion. Another winner from Wobbleand friends. samples:
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Tiger Saw are from Newburyport, Massachusetts, or, at least, that's where they began. After writing most of their debut alone in Los Angeles, Dylan Metrano brought those songs home to Newburyport, where he found like-minded souls to help him bring those creations to life. In listening to their records, it seems he found more along the lines of kindred spirits who were lying in wait for this sound to come along. It is not a wholly original sound (are there any of those anymore?), as Tiger Saw play primarily slowcore music in the vain of Low or 27. But it is a new twist, as most songs possess a jazz structure, but a rock-like instrumentation. And it is a lovely listen.
Kimchee
"Blessed Are the Trials We Will Find" is Tiger Saw's sophomore release after their self-released 1999 debut. The songs found here will appeal to you because of their sheer beauty, and the strong ensemble that performs them. The duel-vocal syrup of Juliet Nelson and Metrano is a perfect complement to the instrumentation, mainly guitar and drums, but with occasional strings, organ, and even melodica thrown in for good measure. The thing that stands out the most, though, is Metrano's lyrics, which, thankfully, never seem to rest on one particular subject or genre. True, he does write of relationships between people more than once on "Trials," but he also writes of being lost at sea, and of being alone. And you know instantly what he speaks of, and where he's been. It's that familiar in listening. The two instrumental tracks also show off the versatility of the band, and the comfortable way the have with their instruments. Also included on the CD is a video for a beautiful song called 'Nightingale' that is quite well done. Check out Tiger Saw: you'll be glad you did. -
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Last year we got the ultimate party album courtesy of the Avalanches.Well, summer's on the way, and that one was played to death last year.Still great, but time for something new. So, Soulwax, show us whatyou've got.
Belgian band Soulwax, previously known as the rockers behind lastyear's minor hit 'Much Against Everyone's Advice', have thrown thekitchen sink into this mix tape, and some of the parts have got jumbledup. So, where Skee-lo and the Breeders are listed together, they aretogether. He raps acapella over a Cannonball instrumental. Shouldn'twork, but does. Ditto Basement Jaxx shouting over Emerson, Lake andPalmer, or Salt N' Pepa calling on us to 'Push It, Push It real good'to the strains of Iggy and the Stooges. We also get Destiny's Childdoing the 'Independent Women' thing with 10cc's mellow 'DreadlockHoliday' in the background. You may be wondering what an albumfeaturing Kylie Minogue, Destiny's Child and Basement Jaxx is doinggetting a review in the Brain. Well, this particular album alsofeatures the Residents, the Velvet Underground, Adult and Peaches. Andit blends Dolly Parton into Royksopp, which can't be bad.
Don't know how they got copyright for all this, but they did, sometimesthrough licensing cover versions, or sampling samples (MichaelJackson's 'Billie Jean' slips through the net on this technicality,using a dance record which samples the original).
Basically, this album is enjoyed in two stages. First listen or two,you're comparing the new 'versions' with the originals, and sniggeringaway at how wonderfully post-modern the whole thing is. But soon you'rejust tapping your foot, and calling your friends around. It's just tooinfectious, too catchy, it puts too wide a smile on your face not tolove it.
Summer's here. Don't worry, your Low records will still be there in theFall. For now, to quote a (surely copyrighted) drink's company's slogan- Let the sun into your spirit.
Further info on the tracks used, and copyright/licensing difficulties is at www.2manydjs.org -
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Music should never be judged purely. It should be judged on how 'wrong'or how 'right' it feels in the ears of them who listen. This may not bea reason why V/Vm have taken the trouble to simultaneously release twovery different selections of 'good things' which they claim areactually the same. Both discs have twelve tracks with the same titles.Previous plunderous releases enabled by the VVMCPS laws such as 'SickLove' might be aptly described as corny, but make no mistake it's wheaton the cover of these two. This is pure germ of V/Vm - remember theearliest V/Vm 12" releases or the Fat Cat split with Third EyeFoundation and that'll give you some idea of what to expect from the CDwith the regular yellow wheat. If I wanted to be cheeky I could tellyou that this is what it would sound like if V/Vm helped Aphex Twinwithout doing any hacking, but I know Jim's sickly traumatised by thedeath of the racist granny robot so I'll try not to mention AFX and hisinfluence again. Whatever, this is the sound of V/Vm distilled to pureessence of wheat beer hoedown direct from the mythical school thatplays records with wooden styli. The inverted blue wheat disc is likethe imagined brick bashing your head the next day in hangover city. Myguess was that it's the same tracks but crunched up through distortionand ring modulation and all that fun stuff, but someone in the knowsays this is not so, and the two CD's are not exactly the same lengtheither. In fact there's so much of that digital processing on the blueone that even though its massive robot noise approaches all consumingnuclear meltdown the sound seems to run a bit thin at times. Obviouslythe blue one is the one for noise heads to hear, just don't mentionMerzbow. A lot of it actually sounds like it could be mashed uprecordings of explosions. "The View Below Me Was Always the Same" isthe deceptively titled intro to each CD. Yellow is Caretaker type organswells. Blue is a discordant ring modulator sweep punctuated byexplosions. "The Truth is Dead" is the conclusion they reach before theunderwater Aphex beat excursion "Some Things Look Better Baby." Sorry Iforgot I said I wouldn't mention that Twin again. This far into theblue disc and it's deafening machine grind all the way until completelyfucked relentless deaf disco splatters brains. The idea is probablythat the yellow one is right in that its more conventionally tuneful,but wrong in that this kind of thing is not expected of V/Vm; blue iswrong in that it's a big noise but right in that it confirms V/Vm'sreputation for making big cacophony. But how did it make me feel? Theblue one made me feel like a daffodil in a rainstorm but the yellow onemade me feel like a witch in beat. With all this hack lack and wheatygoodness V/Vm will be claiming they're serious artists next. But ofcourse they always were? samples:
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