Blowing a trumpet in my ear is certainly one way to gather my attention, if not my interest. And that’s exactly how this tape begins with opening track “Donners” casting pure, amplified trumpet striaght ahead. One note, mind you, but blaring trumpet still enough. The track adds some variance with sound and, of course, more trumpet and kind of seques into each subsequent cut on the first side-which are “Quill And Quiver” and “Catbird” for those still with me.
In actuality, it’s rather interesting with the minimalism causing each subsequent sound to be of heightened significance. Mr. Moffett lists amp, applications and, of course, trumpet as his weapons of choice so you gotta give the guy credit for doing alot with a little. As is often the case with these type of “art” tapes, you need to listen numerous times through and in this case, really pay attention. All the more trying as the first listen wasn’t much inspiration.
To his credit, with each subsequent track, there is more noise and less trumpet, which after the first cut is a bit of a relief. In fact, it’s not until you flip the tape that you get another dose of trumpet. This time distorted and still well amplified. “Mohair” is likely my least favorite of the lot here as he repeats the trumpet barrage with various distortion and, as he would have it, “applications.”
Make no mistake, this is not easy listening, ambient or any other casual enjoyment process going on here. It’s art and for what it is, he’s quite imaginative and even, at times, captivating.
This is not for everybody but if it sounds like your kind of thing, it probably is. Enjoy it? I’m not sure that’s what you do here. React. That’s more like it.
https://tubapederecords.bandcamp.com/album/more-of-it-and-closer
-Robert Richmond
Posts
