Mud puddle metal scrape free jazz/noise, light on rhythm and
heavy on the deriving shrieks and groans from what might more typically be
thought of as musical instruments. The first side sounds like the dying wails
of a malfunctioning steam golem accompanied by crackling electrical sprites. Is
this what the Eraserhead soundtrack sounded like? I can't remember. Eventually
the golem meets his end and we are treated to a dance by the family of sprites,
which attracts the attention of a lonely whale, who briefly sings in his native
tongue. (This part is actually outright pretty, and I'm glad they had the
confidence to move in this direction even if only briefly.) Then of course the
whale leaves and we get some more dissonant drone and skronking saxophone
blasts. And it just keeps going! Dramatic, fun, and very human noise music, in
contrast to most of the harsh rhythmic stuff that seems to be trendy right now.
Side B contains some bleary tones and frantic chain rattling and what sounds
like a tea kettle boiling over, which is then superseded by some modular
electronic pads and an amplified windup toy, and then it ends on a long segment
featuring crazy sax wails over a melancholy trumpet riff, and of course
fourteen other things happening simultaneously. Cool stuff!
Side note: On the copy I got there are very quiet ghost tracks during the silence at the end of each side, which I think means these must be reused tapes. They're not complete songs (not that this band even does "songs") but it's cool, like finding a weird Easter egg hidden after the main piece is over.
-- Will Griscom
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