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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 659
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week 1
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Vital Weekly, the webcast: we offering a
weekly webcast, freely to download. This can be regarded as the
audio-supplement to Vital Weekly. Presented as a radioprogramm
with excerpts of just some of the CDs (no vinyl or MP3) reviewed.
It will remain on the site for a limited period (most likely 2-4
weeks). Download the file to your MP3 player and enjoy!
complete tracklist here: http://www.vitalweekly.net/podcast.html
before submitting material please read this
carefully: http://www.vitalweekly.net/fga.html
Submitting material means you read this and approve of this.
* noted are in this week's podcast
KTL - IV (CD by Editions Mego) *
ANTHONY PATERAS & ROBIN FOX - END OF DAZE (CD by Editions
Mego) *
SUM OF R (CD by UTech Records) *
ERIK FRIEDLANDER - BLOCK ICE & PROPANE (CD by Skipstone)
ANTOINE BERTHIAUME & ELLIOTT SHARP - BASE (CD by Ambiances
Magnetiques)
FRED FRITH & DANIELLE PALARDY ROGER - PAS DE DEUX (CD by Ambiances
Magnetiques)
JOËLLE LÉANDRE & QUENTIN SIRJACQ - OUT OF NOWHERE
(CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
MICHEL F.CÔTÉ & ISAIAH CECCARELLI - VULGARITÉS
(CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
JAN-M. IVERSEN - ARTICULATING IDEAS (CD by Tib Prod) *
JAN-M. IVERSEN - MODUL 2 (MP3 by Tib Prod)
SLOBODAN KAJKUT - THE COMPROMISE IS NOT POSSIBLE (2LP by Wire
Globe)
PHILIPPE EMMANUEL GUEBLE - FIRE & REMEMBRANCE (CDR by Mirage)
*
CORY ALLEN - GESEMI TROPISMS (CDR by Trans>parent Radiation)
*
WEREWOLF JERUSALEM & WASP HONEYMOON - PROXIMAS VICTIMAS (CDR
by Ronf Records) *
ORIGAMI BOE - NOISE DIARY (3"CDR by Ronf Records) *
PUIN + HOOP - APPROVED BY THE CURIOUS DENTIST ASSOCIATION (3"CDR
by Tbfagnk Records) *
AXXONN - SHOULD YOU HEAR HELL (MP3) *
KTL - IV (CD by Editions Mego)
ANTHONY PATERAS & ROBIN FOX - END OF DAZE (CD by Editions
Mego)
SUM OF R (CD by UTech Records)
All of KTL's previous work was commissioned for theatre and film,
but this new one is not. KTL stands for Kindertotenlieder and
is the ongoing collaboration between Sunn 0)))'s Stephen O'Malley
on guitar and Peter Rehberg on computer and synthesizer. On two
tracks they receive help from Atsuo on drums (on 'Paratrooper')
and gong (on 'Natural Trouble'). KTL is one of those supergroups,
the seventies term for well-known people collaborating, but in
the case of KTL its probably much more serious. 'IV' was recorded
and produced by Jim O'Rourke in Tokyo and once again its one hell
of a beast. Wall of sound was never better defined, but having
said that, KTL isn't just about noise. Perhaps, come to think
of it, not about noise at all. Surely its loud, but unlike so
many other noise music this is also about detail. This isn't some
muddy sound thrown on tape which is loud but without depth, this
is has sonic richness. Lengthy pieces of endless walls of guitar
sounds, while Rehberg's computer also sounds like a rocking machine.
Not carefully processed sounds, but loud sounds, clicks, drones,
hiss and machines humming on end. Very powerful stuff this KTL,
even when they pull back in volume, such as in 'Eternal Winter'
or the opening of 'Benbbet' or the sheer silence of 'Natural Trouble'.
When its all open its mayhem such as in the landmark piece 'Paratrooper'.
A refined example for all aspiring noise makers who would want
to try their hands at making good noise music. Must be frustrating,
because its unlikely it will be as good as this.
Although something entirely different, something similar can be
said of the third Editions Mego release by Anthony Pateras and
Robin Fox, who this time operate as a laptop duo, and leave their
usual instruments at home. Perhaps some of the sound material
they play around here was made during the previous concerts, and
they add some ARP 2500 synthesizers sounds which they recorded
at the studio of Worm in Rotterdam. Here too it would be too easy
to say we are dealing with noise, and yes, this is 'loud' music,
but it is, like KTL, by no means one of those pointless exercises
in feedback. There are moments of quietness, such as in 'Hyperpole',
the following piece after the sheer noise attack of 'Lung Butter
Blues' - its the same side of the noise coin. Whereas most noise
is generated through improvisation, but more in the sense of not
knowing what to do, these skilled improvisers know how to improvise,
and this time it is with a set of acoustic and electronic sounds
playing from their computers along with synthesizers sounds. The
hasty changing sounds doesn't sound like at all like KTL, yet
its surely noise too. More improvised, more based in serious avant-garde
music, yet loud and forceful, this is another damn fine disc.
Normally I wouldn't go on with a CD that has nothing to do with
these two, but there is a connection to be made. Behind Sum Of
R we find Reto Mäder (bass guitar, strings, electronics,
piano, effects), Christoph Hess (manipulated turntables, also
known as Stotter Int.) and Roger Ziegler (harmonium, effects).
If you look at that, then what does Mego have to do with it? Sum
Of R play also forceful music, noise even, but also have their
quiet moments. More KTL than Fox/Pateras, and that's where my
little problem comes in with this disc. Whereas KTL seems to have
so much clarity and detail, the noise drones put on by Sum Of
R are a bit more muddy, a bit more clouded and less refined. They
start out their pieces through relatively 'easy' drones, but once
everything has come in place, things seem to explode, effects
are in full use, and then the refined details are gone. Surely
this is not a bad release at all, but right after the two Editions
Mego (and why does noise come in this amount in the darkest days
of the year? It made me wonder), this is the weaker brother. What
I did like was the addition of the manipulated turntable, as this
added a strange, rhythmic component to the music. Throughout I
thought this was a fine work too, nothing wrong with it, well,
except that it could have been better produced. Next time in Japan,
gentlemen. (FdW)
Address: http://www.editionsmego.com
Address: http://www.utechrecords.com
ERIK FRIEDLANDER - BLOCK ICE & PROPANE
(CD by Skipstone)
The first solo album 'Maldoror' by american cellist Erik Friedlander
offered improvisations inspired on 19th century french surrealist
poetry. The title of his new solo album 'Block Ice and Propane',
indicates a totally different poetry. It is an album of thirteen
composed pieces that are deeply drenched in the history of american
roots music. The opening piece 'King Rig' is close to african
music. Other pieces are inspired on folk and blues traditions.
Many of the tracks are played in a pizzicato style, making the
cello sound like a guitar. Friedlander comes from the New York
downtown scene, and played with John Zorn, Laurie Anderson and
many others. He opens the included liner notes as follows: "Every
summer my parents would pack us up for months of camping. My father
is a photographer, and he had the plan these trips around his
work, various teaching jobs and photo shoots, all across the U.S."
In line with these early memories, he travels through the history
of american roots music. I would not say it is a sentimental or
regressive journey. It is a very up to date homage to american
music that made possible the musical melting pot of New York where
Friedlander feels most at home now. The inspired performance make
all tracks on this album very worthwhile. Friedlander has a rich
sound. His playing is colorful and concentrated. It has an irresistible
charm. Some of the pieces are built around very simple, catchy
melodies. Other pieces are beautiful because of the nice harmonies.
A track like 'Rusting in Honeysuckle' is a fine spherical and
abstract excursion. From start to finish it is evident that Friedlander
treats the american musical traditions with respect. All in all
it is a stunning and varied collection of Americana. A beautifully
recorded journey to the essence of american music. (DM)
Address: http://www.erikfriedlander.com>
ANTOINE BERTHIAUME & ELLIOTT SHARP -
BASE (CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
FRED FRITH & DANIELLE PALARDY ROGER - PAS DE DEUX (CD by Ambiances
Magnetiques)
JOËLLE LÉANDRE & QUENTIN SIRJACQ - OUT OF NOWHERE
(CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
MICHEL F.CÔTÉ & ISAIAH CECCARELLI - VULGARITÉS
(CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
Four CDs of improvising duos. Duos that take very different routes.
With the exception of the CD by Frith and Roger, this are also
examples of meetings between young and older generations. Berthiaume
teams up with veteran Elliott Sharp. Quentin Sirjacq works with
reputed french improvisor Joëlle Léandre, and Isaiah
Ceccarelli works with Michel F.Côté.
'Pas de deux' is a first encounter - at last - between veterans
Fred Frith (electric guitar, processing, voice) and Danielle Palardy
Roger (drums, percussion, voice). Roger was most of her career
involved in all-women line ups like Wondeur Brass, Justine and
Les Poules. The recordings come from two duo concerts that took
place in 2007 at the Festival des Musiques de Création.
But they are not delivered here as played. Through a process of
editing and mixing by Roger, Frith and others they compiled a
collage of the best moments from these concerts. Frith uses many
different techniques here. He integrates melodic and other conventional
musical aspects into the improvised context where he earlier concentrated
on pure sound and noise. This an album by two improvisors who
are still passionate about their art as this album proves.
'Base' is filled with 11 improvisations by guitarists Berthiaume
and Sharp. They were recorded in New York. Berthiaume played duets
earlier with Derek Bailey and Fred Frith, as well as with another
guitarist, Takumi Seino and Mary Clare Brzytwa on flute and electronics.
Now he has a date with Elliott Sharp, a central force from the
New York avantgarde scene for some 30 years now. Their guitar
improvisations consist of thick layers of heavily processed noisy
sounds. Although this is a radical investigation into the world
of sound and noise, their powerplay failed to impress me. For
my taste it all sounded a bit arbitrary.
Let's switch to another duo. In contrast with the lengthy and
at times bombastic streams of noise of Berthiaume and Sharp, Ceccarelli
and Côté concentrate on small and subtile sounds.
Both Ceccarelli and Côté play drums and percussion,
piano, electronics, lap steel, trumpet and drumhead feedback on
their inspired collaboration 'Vulgarités'. Michel F.Côté
is already around for some time and his discography carries many
remarkable CDs like 'Compil Zouave' and '(Juste) Claudette'. Ceccarelli
is a young drummer and composer. He plays a lot with other Montréal-based
musicians in projects like Steppe Trio, Quartetski does Prokofiev
and Quartetski does Satie. With a great sense for detail Côté
and Ceccarelli deliver a very spirited improvised music. And without
losing themselves in these details they are able to built captivating
and surprising structures. Their pointillist style assures you
hear something new after each listening. Quentin Sirjacq (piano,
gong, prepared piano) I only met once before on a CD with Anthoine
Berthiaume and Norman Teale. Joëlle Léandre needs
no further introduction. She is a french improvisor on cello,
to be heard on dozens and dozens of records. The improvisations
on this record where done on one day in january in Paris.
From all four duets these ones may be the most
conventional and accessible ones. A romantic mood prevails here.
The use of extended techniques is very limited. This has the advantage
that the players can be easily distinguished. The interplay is
more transparent. Their improvisations often come close to modern
composed chamber music, like in the closing track 'Closing. (DM)
Address: http://www.actuellecd.com/
JAN-M. IVERSEN - ARTICULATING IDEAS (CD
by Tib Prod)
JAN-M. IVERSEN - MODUL 2 (MP3 by Tib Prod)
Following the recent transition to CD by Bjerga/Iversen, its now
Iversen solo who goes the same way. A great but perhaps daring
move in such troubled economic times, but hey this is Norway,
so no money worries there, perhaps. Of the ten pieces, two are
new, two are extracts of longer works and six were released as
MP3 before. Another daring move, I'd say. Music by Iversen is
not a rare thing as the man has an output which is best described
as 'vast'. Not everything is great in his catalogue, which is
hardly a wonder with so much available and I'm sure I'm glad I
didn't have to select the pieces for this release. It seems to
me that Jan-M. Iversen selected the tracks from his vast body
of work with the tag 'ambient and beyond'. Its perhaps Iversen
biggest interest when dealing with music, but there have been
adventures in the land of noise too. As said however, here he
deals with ambient music. Quiet, lengthy tracks of processing
field recordings into microtonal tapestries. Delicate material
of carefully selected clicks and deep end bass sounds. Perhaps
some of the tracks are a bit long - Iversen uses the entire length
of the CD - which makes the mind wander off at times, but perhaps
that's whole notion behind this.
An excerpt of 'Modul 2' can be found on 'Articulating Ideas' but
its available as a MP3 which you have to pay for. That's good,
no music can be really for free. This new piece very much continues
what has been set out on 'Articulating Ideas' but of course takes
a longer course to ride. 'Modul 2' lasts some forty-two minutes
and is a drone piece pur sang, with hisses and beeps coming in
and staying there for quite some time. Again a bit on the long
side for the amount of 'composition' that has been put into this,
but again that might be Iversen's notion about composing pieces
like this. (FdW)
Address: http://www.tibprod.com
Address: http://www.planetorigo.com
SLOBODAN KAJKUT - THE COMPROMISE IS NOT
POSSIBLE (2LP by Wire Globe)
For this I guess a lot depends on the word 'compromise' in the
title. To what is a comprise not possible? To whom? To which?
One Slobodan Kajkut is the creator of this, the final mix is by
him, perhaps even the composition, but the actual music is played
by Christine Scherzer (voice), Robert Lepenik (guitar), Jannes
Kerschbaumer (organ) and Wolfgang Eichinger (drums), who all perform
'The Compromise Is Not Possible' on March 7th at the St. Andrä
Church in Graz, Austria. So far the details, all culled from the
cover, as there was no information otherwise available, not even
even a website or contact section. So to what does it not compromise?
The music seems to me fairly conventional. Loud, pounding drums,
heavy guitars and a bit of theatrical, opera like voice and on
one of the four sides much room for silence and church organ.
It sounded like Glenn Branca, KTL (their 'Paratrooper' piece reviewed
elsewhere came to mind right away), Gore (without the tempo changes).
Music that sounds like excorcism, like the soundtrack to an Viennese
Aktionist Spiel, but it seems all safe on the side of musical
compromises. The rules aren't broken, the compromise is right
there. But hey, what do I know, maybe I am missing something here,
like background information that explains more about the compromises
being broken and that they are to be found in an entirely different
area. Nice record for slow hardcore rock fans. (FdW)
Address: none given
PHILIPPE EMMANUEL GUEBLE - FIRE & REMEMBRANCE
(CDR by Mirage)
Apparently Philippe Emmanuel Gueble was trained by Robert Fripp,
Pandit Pran Nath, David Hykes and Alain Kremski and they left
an ever lasting influence on him. Gueble plays keyboards, electronics,
digital percussion, radio, electric and acoustic guitars, plus
he receives help from Serge Parys on guitars and Sid Of Lia Fail
(being Phil Bruss and Audrey Chanu) on e-bow and voice. I have
no idea what else Gueble released, and I suspect I am stuck here
with a release from 2007, which by my account is more than six
months ago, but in these somewhat quiet days between christmas
and new year, not much mail arrives, so I let this pass. Maybe
its also because its ambient music that fits the tone of the day:
mood music for moody times - but then this is not the time of
the year I like very music. Its best to zip some wine, stare outside,
read a book, and play some highly atmospheric music. Gueble makes
us the right offer for this. His twelve pieces of ambient music
is partly light and joy and partly dark and down. Although much
of the album relies on synthesizers and electronics, the nice
thing about it is the addition of the other instruments, such
as the heavenly voices or the tinkling piano. That makes the full
hour of this music to be quite varied, be it that it offers nothing
much new under the ambient sun. Its just a very nice album of
atmospheric music, along the lines of Eno and Fripp and probably
much of what came after that. (FdW)
Address: http://www.pegueble.com
CORY ALLEN - GESEMI TROPISMS (CDR by Trans>parent
Radiation)
Back in Vital Weekly 636 I was pleasantly surprised by 'The Fourth
Way', a solo release by Sirsit member Cory Allen. He combines
in a rather unusual way analogue equipment like a Fender Rhodes
piano, Moog voyager, violin, glockenspiel and ring modulator with
digital processing from the computer. That is perhaps not something
new, but the outcome, loud warm analogue drones and crispy digitalism,
was certainly a pleasure to hear. 'Gesemi Tropisms' however is
not that loud, not as loud as 'The Fourth Way', even when he moves
on similar lines. Still with great ear for sonic details, he explores
his sound in a more calm mood. There is drones from the moog,
the processed fender rhodes piano and high pitched sounds in the
opening piece 'Whirling White Light' but the short 'Excited Molecules'
that follows it is an exercise in violin scraping and noise and
is together with 'A Screaming Comes Across The Sky' the noisy
counterpoints of this album. Throughout however Allen seems to
be lesser interested in producing the noise thing and goes for
something that is present in volume (not a microsound release
here), but also pleasant to hear. It defies ambient, drone and
noise, but it seems to be throwing all of these things together
and create electronic music that is rather fresh and sparkling.
Unlike 'The Fourth Way' this is more easy listening and less cruel
beauty, but this is rather a more natural beauty. Its great to
experience such a development in a matter of only the next release.
I have no idea wether Allen plans things as such but both this
one and the previous made a great impression on me. (FdW)
Address: http://www.bremsstrahlung-recordings.org
WEREWOLF JERUSALEM & WASP HONEYMOON
- PROXIMAS VICTIMAS (CDR by Ronf Records)
ORIGAMI BOE - NOISE DIARY (3"CDR by Ronf Records)
Noise is of course the territory of Jliat these days, but perhaps
this week it seems to be mine too. Which I think is fine, in these
quiet days with not much mail, and a Merzbow collection heard
twice already. Plus perhaps it is funny to hear band names like
Werewolf Jerusalem and Wasp Honeymoon, who collaborate together
for a good thirty minutes. If I have to play someone a release
of 'noise' music I could easily, no, best, pick out this release
as an example of what 'noise' is, as it appears here in its most
purest form. There is a quick fade in at the beginning and a quick
fade out at the end, and in between there is one line of distorted
noise, without too much interference, interruption or change.
I am sure that whoever I would be playing this too, would be surprised
to learn that the material was assembled from January 2008 until
August 2008 and I could hear the witty remark: what exactly did
they assemble? How much work could it have been for something
that sounds like it was assembled in the amount of time this release
lasts. But nevertheless it was quite nice.
And actually even nicer was the 'Noise Diary' by Origami Boe,
also known as Tore H. Boe, whom we know as a delicate master of
electro-acoustic music, but has here two four minute live pieces.
Maybe he'd hoped for a 7" release somewhere? That wouldn't
have been a bad idea. This noise is different. Here we hear the
mal treatment of acoustic objects, drowned in bath of feedback,
created by an explosion of sound effects and the strong amplification
- much more live music than the headphone noise of the previous
release. We hear the acoustic (indeed, its them) laptops of Boe
every now and then popping up, but they sit nicely captured in
the electric environment. And opposed to many other noise makers,
Boe knows when its time to end a tune. An important distinction.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.ronfrecords.com
PUIN + HOOP - APPROVED BY THE CURIOUS DENTIST
ASSOCIATION (3"CDR by Tbfagnk Records)
On christmas eve I received this nine minute something release
by Puin + Hoop, the Dutch duo, which don't exactly have the word
information as their guiding principle. The cover was stamped
with a date: 18 Dec 2008, so perhaps this work was conceived and
released six days ago? Now that's one of those things I like about
CDRs and cassettes: the sheer quickness with which things can
be released. Notions, new ideas, a concert - all good intentions
to do this. If you have been reading Vital Weekly and you know
the work of Machinefabriek and his speed of light you know what
I am talking about. One piece here, nine minutes and a bit, and
it deals with a vast amount of layered guitar sounds, vaguely
intercepted voices from the radio, some pedals underneath the
feet, mild distortion and feedback, which makes throughout a nice
piece. After some work which I thought was lesser than their first
excellent release, this is a mighty nice return to quality. A
pity that its so short. Before you know it, its over again. Nice.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/puingeefthoop
AXXONN - SHOULD YOU HEAR HELL (MP3)
This release by AxxOnn looks a bit like a low noise affair release,
but actually its not - or at least not throughout. The only name
we recognize from this trio is Tom Hall, of whom we reviewed work
before. He plays here 'keyboards, noise, various electronics),
while Ian Rogers, of No Anchor, plays 'synth, keys, noise' and
one Dan Lewis plays 'nothing'. The music starts out with low humming
keyboard sounds, which get thicker, fatter, mightier over the
course of the next ten minutes when it explodes and might possibly
be characterized as noise. It then starts taking things down again
into a more pleasant surroundings of vaguely rhythmic sounds and
more drones. The middle part is something I could have lived without,
I must say, as it breaks the gentle opening and closing of the
piece and it has too much distortion going on. Otherwise I thought
this was a great piece, a most promising start. (FdW)
Address: http://www.axxonnband.com