MUSIC REVIEWS
Elliott Sharp/Carbon - Truthtable
William S. Burroughs - Spare Ass Annie & Other Tales
Trance Mission - Trance Mission
Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See
Homestead Records
Carbon weaves electric harp, samplers, and a maniacal jazz-and-rock-solid rhythm section around Elliott Sharp's doubleneck guitarbass, which can emulate a kitten crying, a street cleaner flattening a stop sign, or a tray of metal forks cascading down a fire escape. Though the lyrics might stray towards the inflammatory, Truthtable captures the coldness of the city: It's loud and mean and would probably fight you for a taxi in front of CBGB at 4AM.
By Will Kreth
MUSIC REVIEWS
Elliott Sharp/Carbon - Truthtable
William S. Burroughs - Spare Ass Annie & Other Tales
Trance Mission - Trance Mission
Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See
Island/Red
Producer Hal Wilner summoned the finesse of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy to provide backing to several, er, "vintage" poetic voyages of Uncle Bill Burroughs. In a nutshell, it works. The moment Burroughs's rich, weary vocals crawl from the speakers like a nocturnal sloth, you're compelled to listen to classics like "Dr. Denway Operates" and "The Man Who Taught His Asshole to Talk." Watch for the forthcoming dance-remix.
City Of Tribes
This SF-based quartet includes Beth Custer on winds, Stephen Kent on didgeridoo and animal horns, John Loose on percussion, and Ken Newby on synthesizers and traditional Indonesian instruments. The music is true to the group's name, a soothing, yet energetic mix of global styles that ride the metaphysically penetrating tones of the didgeridoo while drawing on blues and rock to produce a semi-danceable funk that's both earthy and other-worldly.
Soleilmoon USA
In this two-disc tome of raw-tech, O'Rourke creates a barrage of active sonic textures. Disc one, "Mere," is a swarming ensemble piece for voices, trombone, cello, short-wave, bass, and, I assume, Jim's guitar. (His only credit is for composition). Disc two's "A Young Person's Guide To Drowning" uses a similar formula, with a violinist who manages to sound a more like a radio than the short-wave player on disc one. Perfect headphone music and a hell of a way to kill an afternoon.
New Albion
Stone's compositions blend sampling and minimal music techniques. The samples are familiar, whether a 19th-century German lied by Schubert, in "Shing Hee," sung by Japanese pop vocalist Akiko Yano, or a musical stew including a mixture of Afro-pop guitar and zydeco accordion. The rhythmically percolating "Gadberry's" was created on a Macintosh; with a limited pitch gamut and gorgeous bell-like tones coupled with a steady, insistent pulse. Stone's slowly unraveling, unpredictable musical process creates truly delightful music.
Mute Records
It's perky, it's positive, it's Orb-Lite Fortran 5's latest is a venture into the murkier realms of Ambient. But keep your finger poised above the "skip" button when braving tracks like "Persian Blues," "Time to Dream," and "Choppers" (kind of like strobes and seizures - Syd Barrett probably heard these tracks in his head just before he flipped). The ambient Orb-esque cuts prove to be Fortran's forte. The true gem on this doily? Only the most hysterical cover of "Layla".
Capitol Records
Just like darkness on the desert, So Tonight That I Might See will surely prove a thing of lasting beauty. Three years between albums has produced a lonely cactus blossom of dusty vocals, petaled with the sparse melancholy of guitar and cello. Less bluesy than She Hangs Brightly, this self- produced second effort weaves rich chord progressions into a sorrow so pure it is without angst. The journey into Mazzy Star's preternatural night is a solitary one.
Slash
This 30-song compilation documents one of the most important musical contributions of late 1970s Los Angeles. Germs were punk: raw, venomous and out of control. The music's anger is impressive itself, but coupled with the lyrics, this band blow away much of what's happened since. You can't see a Germs show except in The Decline of Western Civilization (a documentary chronicling LA's seminal punk scene), but this is the next best thing.
