KOMMISSAR HJULER UND FRAU / I'D M THFFT ABLE split C47 (Faux Pas Recordings)

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The German couple, performance art duo and general sonic terrorists, Kommissar Hjuler und Frau (sometimes "und Mama Bar" or "Mama Baer") have released over 200 recordings, many of them ultra-limited lathe cut vinyl on their own label, Der Schoene-Hjuler-Memorial-Fond. Recently there a have been a few "comparatively overground" releases (quoting David Keenan), a CD from Intransitive and an LP from Feeding Tube. Hjuler is an actual kommissar (i.e. cop) and his German barking can sometimes be quite authoritarian. Mama Baer often brings the beauty to the duo's music, but can sometimes get righteous shrieky. Both frequently devolve into muffled moaning. The recording on the A side of this beautiful looking tape sounds like it was recorded in the family's kitchen, with Papa Bear repeating and twisting a few phrases around and doing silly monster voices, making his wife and child laugh and cry. Most of it is in German, so I can't speak much to the content. This piece doesn't hit any particular low or high points, but is a pleasant listen. Like a very weird found tape.

On Id M Theft Able's side, all of a sudden the volume jumps up about six decibels with some heavy mouth on mic action. This artist (known to humans as Skot Spear) should be no stranger to readers of this blog. He does everything and anything, but mostly sticking to a set-up of glass and spring action with bow in hand accompanied by insane vocalizing sometimes forming words, sometimes forming intelligible thoughts, always astounding the senses! This was recorded alone in his car in a Maine snowstorm and includes him singing along to snatches of pop songs from his radio, some whisper quiet sections, and some real intese vocal pasages. A really enjoyable and well paced listen that has less vocal gibberish than some of his denser works. I'm pretty sure all of this is made with just his mouth, and it continues to make me believe that technology is complete useless crap that makes your music suck!!! Put a delay pedal on that!

http://www.faux-pas.tk/
http://www.asylum-lunaticum.de/
http://kraag.org/id/