01 July 2001

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Albums and Singles

Newcomer Mitchell Akiyama is the first release of Alien8's newsub-label, Substractif. On this, his first 'proper' album release, theMontreal-based Akiyama has assembled a library of field recordings, andprovided a complimentary score, at times with sampled, rhytmically andtonally restructured manipulations of the recordings. It's an excercisein a laptop-driven ambient dub soup, and at times the sounds have beenso far removed from their original state, that the toil in the processis almost entirely unnoticable. Don't take that the wrong way, however,it's a wonderful disc which has certainly grown on me incredibly. Thereisn't a piece of work on this album that doesn't take a fair amount oftime to evolve, however, so patience is essential to a listening.Akiyama is another case for my argument that greatness in electronicmusic can come from a understanding of organic music and composition,in that he allegedly comes from a jazz background. 'Hope' could easilybe like what a Pole album would sound like if Stefan Betke changed someof the stinking preset sounds for every track. It plays mind tricks ontracks like "Concentrate On One Leg" when the established beat breaksup at random places while a hypnotising throbbing tone never backsdown. Its unobtrusive beats, lengthy delays and a keen sense ofcomposition combine to make for a charming listen late at night withthe lights off and windows open while a cool breeze passes through onoccasion.

 

samples:

• Resists Change Nicely
• Error Than Trial
• The Path of Least Resistance is Paved

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01 July 2001

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Albums and Singles

This is the latest in a series of CDs presenting one live performance from each stage of the Fall's more-than-25-years-long career. Most of the tunes on "Live in Zabreb" come from the "Extricate" album of 1990, a point in the Fall's life when they were past the angular, percussive post-punk scream of their classic albums (such as "Hex Enduction Hour") and were moving ever-closer to repetitive techno-rock.

Smith's lyrics are mostly bitter rants about his ex-wife (a tune which might about her then-new solo music career is pointedly titled "Sing! Harpy"? yikes?), but that unhinged quality that made the early 1980s albums unique is gone, replaced by bitter grumbling over dance beats.

The music references funk (as in the overblown wah-pedal exercise that is "Telephone Thing") and disco ("I'm Frank", supposedly a tribute to Frank Zappa, though you'd never know it), yet it bears only a hint of the full-blown Manchester dance-party that would be "The Infotainment Scan" album a few years later. The high point of this Yugoslavian concert is the overexcited organ solo which ends their cover of the Monks' "I Hate You", a beautiful minute of sloppy exuberance that only reminds me of what the band used to be like.

In older days, the band would nervously fight onstage, improvise lyrics, rewrite songs while they played them; songs could be half their recorded length or twice as long; poems were read over some songs, other blurred by tapes of fragmented noise. By comparison, "Live in Zagreb" contains music by a professional group, well rehearsed. The tunes are good, catchy pop, but this is not the place to start if you want to hear what the Fall are all about. It's fine, but ultimately not essential.

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01 July 2001

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Albums and Singles

What a great influence Weezer have had on the youth music scene. Their fun-sounding geek rock was almost revolutionary to most kids (who unfortunately had heard nothing like Weezer before) when "Undone: The Sweater Song" hit the radio and television airwaves. And now the kids influenced by Weezer and the like are starting to record music.

Take the b-sides, for example. From the first notes of "The theme song," you hear the Weezer influence. You immediately wonder: can they sustain this for a whole album? No. Can they show us that there is a maturity in the other songs, mixing the poppy moments with sober rock songs that are well-crafted and hooky? Yes, they can. This first release for the band, sub-titled their greatest hits from their next four albums in the liner notes for the CD, is the first full-length release from the b-sides, whose members are no older than 21, except bassist Ken Mosher of Squirrel Nut Zippers fame. The CD is a pop gem. Vocal harmonies and hummable melodies abound, backed by rhythms that will make your toes tap on their own. The b-sides try hard on this release, showing off a great range of styles and sounds. They also show competent proficiency with their instruments for their (seemingly) tender ages. Independent geek rock has new saviours in the b-sides. Yes, indeed, quite.

 

samples:

• I Wore it 'Til it Broke
• Self Deprecation
• The Theme Song

 

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01 July 2001

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Albums and Singles

The first track on Tom Jenkinson's new album, 'Go Plastic' seems to dojust that. "My Red Hot Car" begins like a soft-core porn featuringraver-style actors.The stars would spend a lot of time fucking with the compostition ofnaked break beats, use a lot of pitch bending for flair, and maybe evenshow blatant disregard for melodic structure that pleases one's ears oreven that which exists at all.This disc is rife with thin beats and whack bass sounds (that's rightacid basslines reprasent in 2001!! yea-eah. no). When listening, watchout for unfulfilling "break" sections and boring melodies that soundlike the portamento-style hijinx of DR. Dre a la 'The Chronic', minusthe "it being good" part. A few tracks on the CD are decent, like thethird track, "Go! Spastic". Tommy gets into a really nice breakbeatmashup but you may end up turned off as I was by the acid bass thatbegins the track and the thin, icky breakdown at around the two minutemark. I'd like to dance to this track at its finest moments but aroundfour mnutes, there is a gross reverb used and it detracts from mereally feelin the track as a whole.
A lot of places on the album turn me off because the sounds mimic thoseripped off any old groovebox or Roland synth. I guess there's somethingto be said for old school sounds but I am not going to say it nor willI hear that.Most of the tracks can be broken down like this: they have their kindof nice places, then more bad parts, and then the awesome atonalcomposition that seems to be taking electronic music by storm!!I guess my issues with this album is that the chosen sounds could havebeen better and the melodies could have made sense or shown an emotionpresent on the any other full-length releases by Squarepusher.

 

samples:

• My Red Hot Car
• Go! Spastic
• My Fucking Sound

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24 June 2001

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Albums and Singles

Don't let the sticker on the front steer you away, just because thisdisc might be 'outtakes' from their last album's sessions, in no wayshould it -not- be considered a bonafide Ida album. In fact I'm goingto step out on a limb and say I even like this better than 'Will YouFind Me' as it almost speaks more direct and honest, with lesspost-production coloring and more in-studio risks taken. Low on the popsongs and high on the personal stories, the opener "Let's Go Walking",along with "Arrowheads" and "So Worn Out" cut right to the chase whilethe delicate beauty of "So Long" and "Ocean of Glass" are nothing lessthan heart-melting. Whether it's the girls or the guys taking the leadvocal tracks, the pitch perfect melodies and harmonies are alwaysstrong. Typical Ida, right? But then there's instrumentalimprovisational gems like "Ignatia Amara" and "The Braille Night" thatremind us Ida aren't just some of the better singers/songwritersaround, but are also quite diverse player/composers. My fave trackremains "Blizzard of '78," for both the power and drive but thesentimental historical value for a Bostonian like myself. Strangelyenough the lyrical content of that track (listed as "Blizzard of '78")makes more sense to be named "The Braille Night" (listed as track 7, ableak instrumental track which would be more suggestive of the blizzardthat seized the nort east 23 years ago). Either way it's a mighty fineoffering, which, as an 'outtake record' flows together better than manyalbum releases by others. Now let's get that f'ing Insound tour supportCD back into print.

 

samples:

• Blizzard of '78
• So Long
• Arrowheads

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24 June 2001

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Albums and Singles

Sonna are addictive. Extremely so. After hearing the first track onthis release, "The Opener," I immediately had to hear it again. Andagain. Five times later, I hadn't even heard the second track and Iwanted more of the first. Bizarre. I'd never heard Sonna up until now,and I can say if this album, their debut full-length, is highlyanticipated, I can see why. This is music you put on when you have workto get done that absolutely can't hold off on it any longer. In thesesongs you hear both the yin and yang simultaneously, so while workingyou are constantly stiumlated to finish your goal because it isnecessary, all the while thinking about the doom of failure. It's afascinating listen. A friend once remarked to me, "How can you listento all of these indie-rock instrumental bands. They all sound the sameto me." Recently at a party I hosted, I played Sonna in my room and heheard them, immediately remarking how different they sounded from allof the other bands I listen to. This is a testament not only to howunique Sonna are, but how easily one can grow to love them. Variedtempos, instrumentation, and levels keep the listener guessing, but notenough to think it a different band entirely. Tracks are on the longerside, but not too long that they bore the listener. I found the buildon the second track, "Low and to the Side," to be one of my favoritemoments on the record, as the cymbal crashes get louder and louder andlonger and longer. Then they stop suddenly as the guitars play the lastfew notes of the song. And what little vocals are present complementthe music wonderfully, adding to the charm of the record. The pressrelease says this band will certainly grab fans of Tortoise, Papa M,Codeine, and Yo La Tengo. I couldn't agree more. I am a fan of allthose bands, and now I'm a fan of Sonna. Worth a listen or twelve.

 

samples:

• The Opener
• Sing Soft Tonight
• Real Quiet

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24 June 2001

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Albums and Singles

For those who first heard Retina on Hefty's 'Immediate Action' seriesand fell in love like I, a full-length is now readily available. Whilethere's a sea of electronic piranhas trying to out-chomp each other interms of experimentalism, in turn stretching technology beyond alistenable threshold, a certain amount of composition and structure hasbecome compromised. Thankfully labels like Chicago-based Hefty havebeen focusing on releasing musicians who aren't necessarily pushing theboundaries, but doing an awesome job at the music they're doing.Retina's full-lengther pulls in some supersonic high pitched elementsand swirls them up in an effective dub-influenced mix combining awonderful serving of low-end bass, and attractive head-bobbing beats.Picture 90s-era Richard H. Kirk that doesn't bore you for 8 minuteseach song or stretch far longer than an hour. Not coming clear yet? Howabout a true intelligent dance music act who at loud volumes causesuncontrollable hip and brain gyrations? Yeah, it's pretty damned cool.

 

samples:

• Agni
• Our Lady of Mistery
• Piroclastic Flux

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24 June 2001

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Albums and Singles

6 yrs ago Peter Adarkwah and Ben Jolly graduated from their legendary,free-form turntable exhibitions in London (known to include a mixtureof brazilian grooves, hip-hop, funk, disco, techno and the like) toembark on a progressive mission. Their label, "Barely Breaking Even",has laced us with the rare jems of those genres and more since. Thelatest BBE releases, housed 'neath the "Beat Generation" umbrella, areno exception. Hold tight as I mention Marley Marl, Jazzy Jeff, DJSpinna, and my personal favorite, 88 keys in the same sentence. Nowimagine that same list to include King Britt, Pete Rock, and Jay Dee;then give them the freedom to do whatever they want. Sound sick? Well,the first two presents from this series are just that. Jay Dee's'Welcome to Detroit' and Pete Rock's 'Petestrumentals' offer, rather,pave us a new direction in hip-hop, while raising the bar in productionto a stellar level.
'Welcome to Detroit' is like a warm pot of gumbo, that includes abeautiful blend of raw emcee talent and dirty, minimal breakbeats,tweaked to perfection. Jay Dee successfully mixes R&B, Hip-Hop, andwhat can only be called Experimental, into a concoction that creates aninfectious vibe leaving you wanting another. The opening track is a 5/4masterpiece. Other highlights include 'The Clapper', a start-stop headnodder your rewind button had better be ready for, and 'Featuring PhatKat', which does for obvious reasons. The kid is nice. This isdefinitely one to play for your friends; but don't let this album outof your sight, for it might disappear. With 'Welcome to Detroit', BBEhas set a clear standard for quality product, and the second releasefrom the "Beat Generation", composed by the Chocolate Boy Wonder, PeteRock, is no exception.
Pete Rock can be credited for creating the smooth, jazzy, downtempofeel, that others like Jay Dee are perfecting today. 'Petestrumentals'is like an educational pamphlet, detailing the proper way to constructan emcee canvas. It refrains from becoming a cluttered, "over-the-top"production effort, and leaves room for vocal compliments. For instance,'The Boss' sultley shows his fine sample manipulation by initiallyusing a simple piano loop for the songs first few bars. It then beginsplaying backwards, all in timely fashion. 'Play Dis Only at Night'takes the very familiar bass line in 'Check the Rhime' and almost makesyou forget that someone else tried to use it previously.
'Petestrumentals' is a stark deviation from his prior solo release,"Soul Surviver", which included a guest artist on every track. Thisalbum only invites members from UN to grace three of its tracks, therest are perfectly designed to allow budding emcees a chance at rockinga groove from the legendary producer. This album is yet anotherseamless fusion of Reggae, Jazz, Pop, Soul, Rock, Folk and Other forPete Rock, making it an instant classic for your shelves. Those whopurchase this record on vinyl will have the added pleasure of listeningto it a 45rpms. My hopes are that this series will change the stagnantdirection in Hip-Hop production today, where it seems as if every trackis a remix of a previous Timbaland or Neptunes project. So far BBE is 2for 2 and batting 1000%. Stay tuned.

 

samples:

• Jay Dee - Come Get It
• Jay Dee - It's Like That
• Pete Rock - Pete's Jazz
• Pete Rock - Something Funky

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24 June 2001

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Albums and Singles

Those who have followed Spring Heel Jack's evolution from day one through last year's collaboration with Low and the Disappeared LP think they might have been prepared for what was next, right? Perhaps. Last year the Blue Series from Thirsty Ear surfaced with The Matthew Shipp Quartet's album, 'Pastoral Composure', this year Shipp and an extended family have been paired up with the former early drum 'n bass champions, Spring Heel Jack for the continuum of the Blue Series.

While 'Masses' is a wonderful marriage of jazz instrumentalists with a tiny bit of electronic contributions, I somewhat question the SHJ label for the project. Perhaps it's political, perhaps it's there to try to introduce the SHJ fans to a more organic live sound than what the SHJ followers are used to. It's a blend of form and function: within the confines of ten tracks, there's a little bit of electronic noise, screechy horns, tinkling pianos, muted swing horns in sultry retro-art deco interludes, boppin jam sessions, and moods created for sadness, longingness and joy. Could this be the new direction of jazz? (Combining organic instrumental improvisationalists with established electronica tweakers?) Maybe not, but this all the while is an enjoyable listen and never drags on too long or becomes too obnoxious and must be turned off.

 

samples:

• Chorale
• Chiaorscuro
• Coda

 

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24 June 2001

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Albums and Singles

Nick Willscher is a New York City-based sound sculptor whose ambitiousCD-R trilogy "Solutiore of Stareau" probably slipped beneath your radarlast year. Well, don't worry, it did mine too. Now disc one isavailable as the debut release from Infraction Records, the new inhouse imprint of music retailer Riouxs Records, following up on thereissue of disc three as "Willscher" by Apartment B Records. This 70minute continuous piece (indexed at the noticeable transitions everyfive minutes) is a fairly minimal, malleable mass of low volume sound.Tones and soft fuzz abruptly flicker on/off to give a cut-up pulse tothe otherwise lukewarm haze. Unidentifiable fragments surface and sinkhelping to create an otherworldly effect. Meanwhile, a beautiful,recurring drone signature slowly swan dives in and out of a handful oftracks. But perhaps the most beautiful moment of all is thedeconstruction that takes place within the final track, the previoushour plus gently fading from short-term memory in crackles and signalnoise. Altogether it makes me think of what a Vladislav Delay trackre-processed by Kurt Ralske might sound like: soundscape bliss, though,not quite as breathtakingly so as Delay's "Anima". Regardless, keep anear out for this guy (as well as Infraction) 'cause he's definitelyonto something. Zammuto has since appeared on numerous compilations andthe drastically different "Full Martyr Status" remix EP is availablefor download from notype.com.

 

samples:

• track 3
• track 11
• track 14

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