YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
SUMMER/FALL
2014
____________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
REVIEWS
Fucked Up, GLASS
BOYS lp
The Julie Ruin, BRIGHTSIDE/IN THE
PICTURE 7”
The Residents, SANTA
DOG 2x7”
Riverrun,
TOMORROW ISLAND lp
The Very Most, THINGS TOO OBVIOUS
TO SING 7”/download
To Mr.
Marty – another furry Muse...
___________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
Death was a Detroit proto-punk band, originally consisting of the
brothers Hackney (Bobby on bass and vocals; David on guitar (died 2000); Dannis
on drums). At first they were a funk
band called RockFire Funk Express, and became a gospel band named The 4th Movement after Death disbanded. There have been three posthumous records
(there was only one single released during their lifetime, as the group were
dropped by Clive Davis when they
refused to change their name) of various demos, home recordings and studio
outtakes (For The World To See
gathered up all the recordings done for Davis
in 1975). With their new guitarist, Bobbie Duncan, they have made a new
single as Death and are evidently
working on an album.
Spiritual.Mental.Physical,
from 2011, gathered some fragmentary material, including bass and drum
solos. This is a more fully realized
collection, dating from 1975 to 1992, mostly in the early part of that range
(two recordings from 1980, and two from 1992).
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
“Introduction By David”, from 1975, is
just what it sounds like – it’s a very noisy, distorted, Hendrix meets Stooges fragment.
“North Street”, from 1980, is a tasty
piece of wailing blues-rock with a cutting lyric about poverty and the mean
streets of Detroit.
“Open Road” has an interesting
stop-start rhythm, almost math-rock in its push-and-pull, and also dates from
1980. It is an ode to freeing yourself,
though it is not surprising, in light of the group’s imminent change, that the
path is the Lord.
“We Are Only People”, from 1976, has a
wild echoplexed guitar, followed by some softly chiming chorused guitar
chording and a choral vocal. At about
halfway through its 9-minute length, it takes on a slightly funky groove not
entirely unlike “Coney Island Baby” by Lou
Reed. It also calls for the
importance of freedom and surviving.
“Restlessness”, from 1980, has a firm
and rapid beat and a bluesy rock arrangement, and more Hendrixian soloing. It is
nearly four minutes long, and could carry on at greater duration if it had
wanted to. A solid groove with some
interesting staccato guitar chording at points.
“Free”
from 1975 seems to be a home recording, and has a nicely phased
guitar and an
impassioned vocal. I think there is some
very light drumming, but
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
the fidelity
is on the low side, and it unfortunately ends abruptly at 2 minutes, as though
tape had run out.
“Yes He’s Coming” is not that
surprising in its subject matter, from 1992, but the dubby echo on the vocals
and the gentle groove of the drums elevate it above the somewhat
undistinguished guitar strum and muddy mix.
“First Snowfall in Detroit”, from
1975, is a delicate and downright lovely jazzy/bluesy instrumental ballad.
The record concludes with “We’re Gonna
Make It” from 1992, which is also in the recent documentary A Band Called Death. It is, oddly enough, almost a country song,
with a twangy guitar and a 6/8 beat. It
features all the brothers singing, joined by a trumpet, from the sound of
things, though it could be a synthetic addition. It is a heart-warming and touching number,
though the fact that David did not,
in fact, make it to old age gives it a bitter-sweet quality.
This is the last archival release, and
is probably the strongest one in terms of sounding like it could have been a
full album on its own, though its long gestation clearly prevents that.
If you want them more savage, try For
The World To See. If you enjoy the
instrumentals or the less polished material, select Spiritual.Mental.Physical.
Heck, I’d recommend all three!
____________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
After
the relative pop of Chemistry of Common
Life and the prog rock-opera of David
Comes To Life, this record is a bit more back-to-basics for this Canadian
hardcore ensemble. Interestingly, for
whatever reason, it actually lists the members by their real names, whereas in
the past they have used pseudonyms which have occasionally even changed for
some of them from record to record. The
instrumentation is kept within the group this time, other than Gord Downie from The Tragically Hip, J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr., and George
Pettit late of Alexisonfire on
guest vocals, one track each, with the drummer also playing guitar and piano,
one guitarist also playing keyboards and bass (thus supplanting Sandy on three tracks), and two members
also providing backing vocals.
As usual, the lyrics are divided between Damian Abraham and Mike Haliechuk. Oddly,
though they have said they have differences which have resulted in tension
within the group, I don’t notice any dramatic stylistic
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
distinction, and would never have known from
looking at the lyric sheet who wrote what.
One
sign of evolution between records is that, while Damian still has the domineering, harsh voice I would cherish in a
top Daddy, his enunciation is clearer and it is not always as necessary for me
to pull out the insert (yes, I know I’m getting dangerously close to being my
parents who kvetch about how they can’t make out the words in modern songs, but
it CAN be a problem at the velocity and sonic clarity of much hardcore to pick
out anything other than choruses or shouted hooks), other than maybe on “Led By
Hand”, which is a wall of noise (not surprising as the track with the guy from Dinosaur Jr. on it, as that band played
perhaps the loudest concert I have attended to date)).
Actually,
that is another variance here. In
general, the parts are more distinct and the tempos are more deliberate and
measured. In the past, that toy piano
that opens “Echo Boomer” would probably have been buried beneath the wall of
guitars. Nowadays, it’s easier to pick
out details of rhythm and riffs, probably because the guitarist and drummer
were involved in the production and mix.
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
It
is, in my estimation, the record closest to how they sound live, which is kind
of ironic. In concert, at least the time
I saw them, they benefit from a relatively tidy balance of chaos, and, to be
all Bear-creepy for the second time in this issue, the visual hook and
commanding presence of Damian Abraham. Though that is clearly not an option on
an LP (though if you peer really close between the grooves in just the right
way, just as with those potato chips with Jesus’ face on them, you can
see...yeah, made you look...), the clear production and positioning of his
voice here makes him easier to appreciate.
It
is, in the final analysis, an interesting mix of democracy and ‘make me louder’. Other than the bass, which is, as with much
hardcore, not pushed far forward, though it isn’t buried here, everyone is
distinct. Far from a pop record, but
still approachable in its gruff, poetic-punk way.
________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
It
may be somewhat difficult to find this, as it was a Record Store Day single
consisting of tracks NOT on Run Fast, the debut album from Kathleen Hanna’s new band, but it’s
worth tracking down.
The
A-side has a driving, vaguely martial beat with dramatic backing
‘oh-woah-oh-ohs’ and a catchy shouty lead vocal, with a brief super-phased
guitar solo and simple, beeping keyboards.
The
B-side opens with a heavily reverbed guitar and a much sweeter, soft vocal from
Kathleen, backed by droning organ and
melodic fragments of piano, as well as a slightly more complicated drum
pattern.
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
While neither song is as
political as Bikini Kill or as
danceable as Le Tigre, they are both
pronouncements of female perspective and empowerment in their subtle way.
I
can see why neither track made the album, as the first one is a bit
under-arranged and the second a tad too delicate, but they are glimpses into
the diversity of the quintet’s musical aspirations and ability.
Run
Fast is fierce, in both literal and slang sense, and I give it mad
props as well, but it was out nearly a year ago, and we must move on from the
distant past. (Yes, I’m being sarcastic, though I find it wearying how quickly
pop culture sometimes declares art to be ‘over’ or ‘back in the day’).
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
The Residents’
theory of obscurity applied even in 1972, when the band barely existed and this
record was first issued. This double 45
from that year (which they sent to the White House, only to have it returned
‘refused’) has a conceit that each track is by a different band. Hint – the future eyeball boys lie!
‘Fire’
has an oddly catchy, if dissonant vibe, and the hook is the chanted/crooned
line ‘Santa Dog’s a Jesus fetus’, though the guitar line has a mutant jazz/funk
scratch to it. Once it’s over, you may
find yourself droning and
cheesing along, though you may not like yourself
for it. Thank you, Ivory and the Brain Eaters!
‘Aircraft
Damage’ is attributed to Arf and Omega,
Featuring the Singing Lawn Chairs (Arf
and Omega are the conjoined twin
wrestlers in The Residents’
uncompleted film Whatever
Happened to Vileness Fats?). It
consists of the
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
wrestlers’ self-aggrandizing rants and
nonsensical ramblings, with barking dogs and a Residents-and-friends chorale about kicking a cat (today). The music is martial drums and a warped
keyboard sound. It follows the principle
of calculating how much mayhem you can endure and then giving you twenty more
seconds than that, though it comes back for a pretty coda.
‘Explosion’
is blamed on The Delta Nudes. It has troubling wordless ‘doo doos’,
severely free saxophone, appealing if repetitive violin, though the brass/reeds
and clanging percussion tread on it, and it’s over in two minutes.
And ‘Lightning’ gets
associated with The College Walkers. It starts with some whistling, copied and
then usurped by an organ/mellotron, tympanis, sticks, and odd vocal
noises. And then there are the distorted
dada pronouncements that emerge towards the end. Stuff about the future, cranberries, females
and...well, you won’t be able to make literal sense of them.
Certainly
an oddity, especially as the voices don’t sound like the usual crew, though
that lends credence to the statement that there really ARE no Residents. Many people thought it perverse
anti-publicity, but it may be true it is whoever is available, though the
instrumental core seems steady (well, from 1972 to 1982).
Buy and/or die, to paraphrase
the old Ralph Records catalogue.
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR INSIPID RECORD
COLLECTION 3
This
Toronto-based ensemble (Tom Richards, keys
and electronics; Peter Lutek, space
clarinet; Scott Peterson, bass and
electronics; and Jake Oelrichs,
drums)passed through my town in July and performed a sidewalk gig in front of a
downtown record store, on a very, very hot day, in advance of its evening
engagement at local venue The Artel. That show was performed unplugged with bass,
trombone, clarinet and minimal drums, and sounded like slightly mutated New
Orleans jazz.
This
record, and presumably the full show later (I did not go – I’m just not much of
a night owl...), is something else entirely.
It is not entirely unlike Tortoise,
inasmuch as while it is instrumental and has certain textural and
compositional similarities to jazz, it is more akin to prog or experimental
free music, though clearly composed and mostly planned but then processed to
within an inch of its life.
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
It
consists of four pieces, averaging ten minutes each, and opens with ‘Kui’,
which is eerie and has some languorous clarinet and broad piano chords stating
the melody, but the drums also dominate and are treated rough, though they
seemingly enjoy their torment.
“Firmitas,
Utilitas, Venustas” follows and features some interesting clarinet alterations,
truly earning the credit for it given on the sleeve. It almost ends up sounding like a violin at
certain moments, which should give you an idea.
It is pretty much the lead instrument here, barring some electronic
swooshes, electric-piano-like noodling and chording, and droning sounds that
resemble over-heating machinery off in the distance, though there are some
outbursts from timbale-like drums and cymbals and sticks. It’s the ‘pop song’ here, as the only track
under 10 minutes, but that’s enormously relative.
Side
B opens with “Settlement”, and sets out on its way with a fairly straight,
plaintive clarinet theme, underlaid with gentle drums and an upright bass. It doesn’t start that way, as the bass begins
to make some odd, manipulated noises and the clarinet becomes rather abstract
and then makes some Wookie-like complaints, and the electric piano chords
provide accompaniment. More ring-
modulated electronic sounds begin to splay themselves across the soundscape,
and both the bass and reeds become decidedly ‘out there’. Even when the clarinet
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
and percussion return to a melodic, rhythmically
conventional approach, the scary electronics still hang around and
intrigue/alarm the listener some more.
“Tangent”
closes things, and while it has moments that do sound like supper-club or
late-night-jazz, the processing and the electronics still keep you on your
toes.
A
very intriguing record, and certainly not easy-listening, but for the
adventurous soul, it has its rewards, and it never fails to be at least
attention-grabbing.
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
What
do I know about Boise, Idaho? It is
referenced in the Canadian artist Susan
Jack’s song “I Thought Of You Again” as a place to which you can always get
back before you die. And now I know it as the hometown of Jeremy Jensen, the mainman of the
veteran indie-pop band The Very Most
(on this particular record, it’s largely him on his own).
I
first happened upon the band due to its song “Jonathan Richman”, and in my watching
the video/slide show, Mr. Jensen’s
not being hard on the furry eye was a factor in me doing more exploring, though
I enjoyed the ditty as well.
“Wondr’ing”
opens with a warm chiming organ, and then goes into swirling string and
woodwind sounds, woodblock, and Jeremy’s rich
vocals backed by three guests (Vinnie
Ransome, Adam and Darcie Sanders). It concludes with a brief chorale in Beach Boys style.
_________________________________________________________________
YOUR
INSIPID RECORD COLLECTION 3
“Oh
Maisy” has a firm backbeat, twangy guitar, female backing vox from Gia Trotter (she sings on all but the
first track), a hooky keyboard part and a clever lyric about the title
character’s interesting ideas about the world.
“About
Forgetting” has an emphatic guitar-and-drum-downbeat akin to a Smiths song, though the Hammond Organ is
more like a Zombies number. The flute-like fills and the phased vocal
also recall arty British music of the 60s, though the staccato ending puts us
back with Morrissey’s crew.
The
title track plunges us into a busy arrangement, on which one Astrid Wiezell sings fetchingly and
airily.
All
told, a delightful confection of four songs, pairing slightly pointed lyrics
with hooky tunes, as it should be.
No comments:
Post a Comment