Newsgroups: rec.music.industrial
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 13:44:36 -0400 
From: Michael Winston Woodring <mw2i+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Reviews

The Tape-Beatles -- Music With Sound
	For those who don't know the Tape-Beatles, they are a Negativland-type
group (tape loops and samplings -- mainly from commercials and
instructional films -- as the basic structure of the songs); however,
the TBs use cut-up music pieces as much as they use the spoken
samplings, unlike the first two Negativland albums.
	If you have heard some of TB's earlier releases, like the Steal This
Lick cassette, you know how the Music With Sound CD sounds.  Their
format hasn't changed.  They even reworked some of their older songs,
such as Desire, Whole New Animal, and /o/ the Frog.  My only complaint
is that the CD is only 45 minutes long.


Hermann Nitsch -- Musik Der 80. Aktion Vol 1 Platte 1
	Nitsch is a performance artist who loves to pour blood on himself,
dabble in raw meat, and perform mock crucifixions.  This CD consists two
tracks which were used as backing pieces for a performance at his
chateau.  The first piece sounds like an orchestra tuning its
instruments before a concert.  The piece runs for 15-20 minutes, and it
only changes in volume.  The second track starts with German folk music
and then goes into a noise bit.  Both tracks are too long with no
changes within the pieces.  Forget it.


Lustmord -- This Monstrous Soul
	I like his last release, Heresy, which was based on volcanic activity
and cavern noise.  This Monstrous Soul is an experiment in paranormal. 
And how could I tell that it dealt with spirits?  Maybe because the
first track is a loop of a guy spookily saying, "It is the night of the
demons."  Yow, scary!  This CD is very repetitious, and the samples
which he used are from silly monster movies.  Only one of the five
tracks stood out (The Daathian Doorway) as trying to break the monotony.
 Maybe I'm missing something and Lustmord has actually deliver in
digital format the boredom of being dead.  Maybe.


Lull -- Dreamt About Dreaming
	Reminds me of some Lustmord stuff (Heresy CD).  Not in the fact that
they are both one word groups which start with the letter 'L', but in
the use of deep, volcanic sounds.  Lull avoids repetition by throwing in
garbled dialogue and other sounds that aren't looped.  I just got this
CD, and I think it will be in my player for a while.
	Lull is M.J. Harris from Scorn.  Anyone know about that band?  I don't.
 Info is appreciated.


Terrace of Memories
	Collaboration between Black Tape for a Blue Girl and Vidna Obmana. 
Definitely more VO than Black Tape.  Slight female vocals.  Mostly
mellow, ambient instrumentals.  Relaxing.


Strafe FR -- Oschle
	Their third CD release.  Although I like all of their CDs, I think
Lufthunger is the best -- there are no vocals.  I can't stand their
singing and vocals.  I think Oschle has two songs that aren't
instrumentals.  However, it is still a good CD, much in the
quiet/suddenly loud vein of Lufthunger.  A lot of natural sounds, like
water and frogs.


Monte Cazazza -- The Worst of Monte Cazazza
	If John Waters could have put out a CD when he was 16 years old, this
might have been it.
	A collection of old and new stuff.  The older stuff is noisy, the newer
stuff more industrial beat (like his song Future Shock off the Core
comp.).  This CD is totally camp.  The first track is a psychiatrist
talking about Monte as a case study, discussing how disgusted he is with
the CD's material and that it has no redeeming value.  After that, it is
songs about inserting glass rods in penises, being attacked by rats,
Christians, hell, and the underworld.  What gave the CD a campy feeling
was Monte's lyrics; they are mainly dialogue.  For instance, in A Snitch
is a Snitch, he talks about lying and the lack of honor among thieves. 
However, instead of creating a lyric form, his words are like, "A snitch
is a snitch, man.  They will rob you and hurt you.  I know a lot of bad
people.  And being a snitch is really square."  He uses a lot of cliched
words and relies entirely on shock content. Also, he tries to sound
tough and menacing, but his voice is kind of childlike (he ain't no
Foetus).  I got a good laugh from the CD.  You can, too.


Frame/Cut/Frame
	A collaboration between a German violinist and an Australian
percussionist who wears a funny hat.  But don't let the hat fool you,
kids, it's a good CD.  It is part of the Sub Rosa Un-Classical series. 
A mix of semi-classical violin, drums, and samples.  One songs has dopey
lyrics, the rest are instrumental.  I don't know why, but the songs
remind me of trains moving through Europe.  Pick it up.


Hafler Trio -- Fuck
	A CD about the exploration of male sexuality.  Consists of two tracks,
one has an industrial dance beat (!) and the other is noisy.  I didn't
enjoy the CD as much as I have his other stuff.  Maybe I should
masturbate to it and see if I find it more entertaining.
	It has a head-on picture of a penis on the cover.  Ask for it by name.


Vampire Rodents -- Premonition
	A 75 minute CD with a lot of different kinds of songs.  Most are
industrial dance with Skinny Puppy distorted vocals and samples.  There
are a couple ambient instrumentals.  One instrumental sounds as if it
came straight from a Depeche Mode album.  It is a pretty good CD to
listen to when driving.  However, I can see it getting old quickly
(probably because I don't listen to as much industrial dance as I once
did).


Illusion of Safety -- Cancer
	Similar to Historical in song type.  Twenty-eight tracks, no titles. 
Some tracks are one song, some songs are more than one track.  A lot of
different stuff going on.  I like it.  Comes in a foot by foot piece of
cardboard.


Randy Greif -- Alice pts. 1 and 2
	A five disc series of the interpretation of Alice in Wonderland, set to
music/noise.  I have heard that many people do not enjoy the discs.  So
far, I have.  Weird instrumentals with the narration, which is both
straight sounding and manipulated.  I can see how people may not enjoy
the CDs -- too much of a theme which breeds similarity between songs,
too expensive, and do you really need 5 discs to get the idea?  Try one
and find out for yourself.


Xper. Xr. & The Orphic Orchestra -- Voluptuous MUSICK
	From China by way of Hong Kong and England.  Soleilmoon catalog says it
sounds like a mix between Nurse With Wound and Zoviet France.  I agree. 
Jarring noises, lots of ugly shouting, mixed with some ambient.  It is
ok, not great.  Many of the sounds sound similar and they are not very
engaging.
	My copy came in a big fucking block of wax.  I had to use a knife to
get it out.  Took me half and hour, and I etched deep grooves in the
case.



Mke