From: dkletter@adobe.com (SUGAR in their vitamins?)
Subject: notes/reviews...
Organization: Flying Esophagus Productions
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 06:24:39 GMT

when i was catching up on my reading this this group tonight,
i noticed a few discussions about topics that are dealt with
in the FAQ. for instance, the string about Skinny Puppy's
AIN'T IT DEAD YET? live cd containing only one track. folks,
i urge you to read the FAQ file when it gets posted.

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i haven't reviewed much in a long time, but i've picked up some
new stuff lately, so...

GLENN BRANCA - Symphony No.1/Solar Plexis (CD - Danceteria/Roir)
"music in four movements for multiple guitars, keyboards, brass
and percussion." i'm not sure how to explain Glenn Branca. it's
like he's taking rock instruments and attempting to create a real
opera feeling. it definately succeeds. i've listened to Symphony
No.6, but this is clearly much more complex with many more musicians
involved, including Lee Reynaldo and Thurston Moore. each movement
focuses on different aspects of the instruments. the first deals
mainly with stringed instruments. the second is a percussion piece.
the third is mostly horns, but has elements of bowed and regular
guitars and the last is a combination of everything. many times
he uses dissonant chords that are in a recursive loop giving a
sense of a building tension that never dies off. if you listen
carefully, you can pick out specific instruments, but when you
step back, you can hear it as if it were an entire symphony playing.
it is very big and real and you can only imagine what it must
have been like to see this thing live.

CCCC - Cosmic Coincidence Control Center (CD - Endorphine Factory)
there is a huge wave of these Japanese "noiz" bands coming out on
the scene. i've listened to many of them and probably my biggest
complaint about this genre is that some of them tend to sound the
same, but have very different live stage gimmicks. listening to this,
i realize that there are still some Japanese bands that are attempting
something relatively unique within the noiz arena. the music first
swells with layers of noise textures that are constantly building a
sense of ever growing paranoia for the listener. as things progress,
a sense of psychedelic influences are intersperced as the tones
change and the textures continue to build. towards the end, you are
hypnotized. i understand that the studio recording is considered to
be better than the actual live experience, save for the little
performance art that gives way towards the end of the show. the music
itself is at no extreme level like Solmania or Incapacitants which
i believe either you immediately like it or you never do. the
one thing i noticed was at times which i was amazed at, was that i
thought i could hear voices mixed into the music. but there are none
from what i can tell. i am sure that the layers of polyrthyms created
by the various noise textures makes for that sense of blended sounds
an added feature. highly recommened.

ESPLENDOR GEOMETRICO - Sheikh Aljama (CD - Daft)
having never heard anything by this band, i had no idea what to
expect when the crunchy, fuzzed out beats on an oil drum came
pounding through my speakers. at first, i wondered if something
was wrong with my receiver. the music, when you get down to it
is very much influenced by middle-eastern, Arabic traditional
songs. much of it sounds like a combination of percussion on metal
and pre-programmed synth drum patterns with Arabic soundbites
intersperced. everything is treated with a healthy dosage of fuzz.
i can't quite make my mind up on this one. some of it definately
sounds good, but halfway through, it all begins to sound the same
and i wonder if it's not time to just slap something else on. i
also noticed that Dirk Ivens is given credit on the CD. isn't
this the same Dirk who was in the Klinik (or was it Vomito Negro)?
there is a kind of disco-industrial appeal to the music, but that
is more subtle than anything else contained. what is some of the
other Esplendor Geometrico like? i was under the impression that
it was more on the lines of semi-harsh ambient noise textures.
also, do they have any other albums other than the one on that
Italian label (Musica Maxima...)? anyone?

NEGATIVLAND - Points (CD - Seeland)
the re-release to CD that many people have been waiting for with
bated breath. the CD is basically made up of very short (in light
of most of Negativland's stuff) pieces. i haven't really listened
to it too much, but so far, i think i still like ESCAPE FROM NOISE
best.

THE WARM GARDEN (cassette - Anciant Records)
i got this tape from Mason. i wish i knew who the artist was, but
it's written in Japanese. i think he said that it was one of the
members of Solmania. or was it Incapacitants? in any case, the
two sides are broken into equal halves of one big piece. the
first side consists of eerie electronics on old Casio keyboards
to create elaborate soundscapes that have a familiar sound, but
is really relaxing. it's a more active side with some noize
and textured effects. the second side is called VIOLIN TRAVALER
and sounds mainly like treated violins and bows on metal plates.
occaisionally, there is a sound that i recall as those plastic
tubes that kids have these days that when you swing around it
makes an interesting reverberated sound. this side is more
quiet and sullen, and equally good. the overall haunting nature
gives it a soundtrack feeling. quite good. write to Mason
at Charnel House and request a copy!

hasta.

-- 
Yes.  Beautiful, wonderful nature.  Hear it sing to us: *snap*  Yes.  natURE.
Newsgroups: rec.music.industrial