Frownland

Well they all come with my stamp of approval . Don't be afraid to shoot me a PM if you need help finding any of the albums.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Frownland

This update has been a long time coming. So far I've reviewed mostly jazz and the noise rock stuff that I do, so I'm going to change it up and review one of my favourite drone albums.


John Cale - Sun Blindness Music

Before John Cale joined The Velvet Underground, he was working with the Theater of Eternal Music. Founded by composer La Monte Young, the group was a collaboration of some of the greatest avant-garde minds of the time such as Tony Conrad, Angus Maclise, Terry Riley, Jon Hassell and many others. Heavily influenced by John Cage, the group gravitated towards drone music and they did a damn good job of it. Unfortunately, there were a series of tapes allegedly destroyed by La Monte Young with some of the group's work on it, potentially erasing several great drone albums from history. This album was recorded from 1964 to 1966, and it's worlds apart from anything you would hear from The Velvet Underground (except for maybe the violin drone on "Heroin" or the bass on "European Sun"). I'm of the opinion that Sun Blindness Music, Stainless Steel Gamelan, and Dream Interpretation are the best things that John Cale has ever done; it's definitely leaps and bounds greater than VU's discography. It's a shame that he went on to do all that poppy crap because he's probably my favourite drone artist (Keiji Haino and Sunn O))) come pretty close though).

The album consists of three tracks. The title track opener runs 43 minutes long and the following pieces, "Summer Heat" and "The Second Fortress" are 11 and 10 minutes long, respectively. "Sun Blindness Music" is Cale on a synthesizer playing a chord and changing the settings on the synth. Given the time it was recorded, Cale was working on an analogue synth that looks something like this:



Or maybe this:


That makes me hard.

It really doesn't sound like much based on that premise, but Cale manages to keep it exciting while showing us the way through the sounds his toy can make. What we get is an extremely textural piece that goes through several different moods. Some of these moments are serene, beautiful, and blissful, some are harsh and somewhat abrasive, other moments make me regret taking the brown acid. At the end of the song, we're left with a lingering note followed by a deep rumble. It's almost as if we stared at the sun and after being overwhelmed with it all we're rewarded with blindness. Overall it's a magical piece that showcase the genius of Cale and the wonders of patch cables and filters. The length is a bit daunting, but I think it's very appropriate for the song because Cale guides you through a strange and wonderful journey. It's most definitely the best track on the album. Take a listen to it, you won't regret (or maybe you will, I don't really care).



The second track, "Summer Heat" has Cale on the bass and is a huge 180 from the opener. This is more rock based than most of Cale's early work and it reminds me of what a jangly post punk bassist's attempt at minimalism. Cale's just jamming out on his bass, playing that chord for eleven minutes and it works great. It's repetitive and I find it pretty hypnotic when I'm listening to it on headphones.

The final track, "The Second Fortress", puts Cale back on the synth. This time, Cale's not so nice to us. The drone here is high pitched and has more melodic variation than "Sun Blindness Music". The more abrasive moments are many with this one. I'd say this is probably my least favourite track on the album because it's not as exciting as the other two, but it's a fantastic track nonetheless.

Taste some art, an untitled piece by Francisco Bores:

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Neapolitan

Lies. That is a picture of a Korg MS-20 mini, it is a recent reproduction of the original MS-20. The MS-20 mini was release ~35 years after the original was created and is 86% the size. The Korg MS 20 which was released in 1978. John Cale recorded that album from 1964 to '66 and there is no way possible he could had been able to use an instrument circa 1978 in 1964. And the second picture is one of a Modular synth, those things were mightily expensive, and I doubt he owned one or had access to one. I never heard him or anyone else mention he played a modular synth in 1964 especially since they were still in the developmental stage. In my non-expertise opinion the instrument that Cale used sounds simply like an air-organ.

What I think John Cale did was use Vox that was available during the 60s organ and tape loops. And what made me come to that conclusion? I actually looked things up on Wikipedia :rollseyes:. There is a bit a audio-distortion. Which could come from various sources like using cheap equipment such as microphones or having the recording level too high, or the inevitable wear of magnetic tape.

Are there moments where it sounds like a analog synth, yes, but only the notes on the lower register. You can heard chords and runs that have a organ-like sound. That's another thing that bothers me is that I don't see how you confused the two, a monophonic Synthesizer with a polyphonic organ?

Anyway besides all the mis-information it was an interesting pick.

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Frownland

Eh I just searched analog synth in google images and picked one with a bunch of patch cables. You got me on not doing my research. Thanks for the info though.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Neapolitan

John Cale played a viola not a violin. He modified it by filing bridge down, & could sustain a three note drone. Usually string instruments in the violin family have a curved nut & bridge and the best you can do is only play double stops. Moe said that when they played at small venues Cale's viola sounded the jet engines on a Boeing 747.

edit: I had to fact check myself.
John Cale said it sounded like a B-52

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Frownland

Goddamnit quit fact checking me! Nah it's all good. I knew he played viola but I thought it was a violin on Heroin since it's a little more high pitched. I can definitely see where that quote comes from, this track sounds like Metal Machine Music's pissed off granddaddy.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

DeadChannel

This is a good one. I'll be subbing.

Frownland

So as a follow up to the John Cale album I reviewed, I decided to do some more reviews of albums done by members of The Velvet Underground. I may decide to review a certain controversial Lou Reed album I'm fond of, but first:


Singer Nico gives us an album worlds apart from her work on the infamous The Velvet Underground and Nico. Dark and often beautiful works described as avant-folk (though I really can't hear the folk, I'll give the people who say this the benefit of the doubt) with a neoclassical bent make up Desertshore. The album opens up with "Janitor of Lunacy," fueled by a harmonium droning a few chords and proffering up a melody that Nico begins to sing along to, opening with the haunting verse "Janitor of lunacy/Paralyze my infancy/Petrify the empty cradle/Bring hope to them and me." The second track "The Falconer" carries on the dark tone of the record with some high pitched percussion that sounds similar to John Cale's work with the Dream Syndicate. I'm guessing that the similarity is there because Cale on percussion and piano for the track (he also plays all other instruments apart from harmonium and trumpet on this record). Moving away from the heavy-handed approach, the track gives way to an uplifting piano line that carries forward until it's shattered by a crash of a piano chord and warbling harmonium to bring the track back to the desolute theme that the track opens with.

The third track "My Only Child" starts off with a trumpet note that fades away as Nico takes the floor with an a capella verse. As the track progresses we begin to hear some beautiful vocal harmonies and a reintroduction of the trumpet. The thing that makes this track so powerful is the way in which it was recorded, either the track was recorded in a large, open space that let Nico's voice ring out or heavy reverb was added in post. Either way, it makes the track infinitely more meditative and potent. Next we have "Le Petit Chavalier," which has a child singing in French (I'm guessing, correct me if I'm wrong) accompanied by a harpsichord courtesy of Cale. This is the low point of the album but on an album of such highs that is in no way a knock on the track. What follows this track is the high point of the album, "Abschied", which translates roughly to "farewell" or "parting" in German. Starting off with a viola flemish that grows increasingly dramatic, Nico joins in with harmonium to create a wonderful interplay within the instruments that invokes feelings of loss and sorrow. Some wonderful vocals on this one, with Nico singing in (surprise!) German. This track has the heaviest neoclassical tinge to it out of all the tracks on the album, but even with this influence present, it is very much Nico's own.

Next we move on to "Afraid," which opens up with somber piano and viola. While it does have a somber mood to it, this is one of the lighter tracks on the album. Though it is quite pleasant, it somewhat forgettable. As with "Le Petit Chavalier," it is followed by an infinitely more interesting track, "Mutterlein." There is no English equivalent that I can find to the word, but I believe the word is involved with "mother." Some help from MB members with German tongues would be appreciated. Kicking off with the march of (what sounds like) a prepared piano and bells, Nico joins in with a brooding harmonium line that introduces the vocal melody. A trumpet fanfare rises and falls throughout the track, and as Nico begins to sing, once again in German, the piano crashes down heavy and melancholic chords. The track progresses with more trumpet fanfare, choral harmonies, and Nico's reflective vocals. A second piano is introduced to the picture once the first piano begins to grow increasingly disconcerted and cacophonous, which the second piano reflects with a tradeoff of pounded piano chords. Following "Abschied," this is one of the better tracks on the album, along with "Janitor of Lunacy." The closer begins off with the most experimental flair of any track on the album, with percussion we'ven't heard before, a little more trumpet fanfare, and of course, Nico's harmonium. A harpsichord line pushes forward the track as the verse begins. Cale's sliding viola is also present, and it sounds similar what he plays on the VU's "Venus In Furs." Nico's vocals are interspersed with spoken word passages, introducing the album title into the music with lines such as "meet me on the Desertshore."

A few years back, when I first heard this record, I wasn't too impressed. While I found it musically to be fascinating, Nico's vocals didn't mesh well with me. After subsequent listens however, I saw it as the masterpiece that it truly is. Each track on the album gives us a new angle of Nico's unique vision, and it's one that I wish more artists would embrace. Here's a rating because I don't know what else to say about the record. 10/10

And for your art, here's a sculpture I thought went well with the record. It's "Everything Flows" by Lynda Benglis.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Frownland

Being a pretty big Pink Floyd fan, I felt obligated to check out their newest release from this year. Ki and Trollheart have been singing this album's praises, but they're prog fans and not to be trusted, so I thought I'd toss my opinion into Journaltown. Now, I think that Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell are shitstains on an otherwise great catalogue and this is made up of a series of unreleased tracks from The Division Bell, so my hopes weren't too high. Man was I surprised.


Pink Floyd - The Endless River

It's even fucking worse than I expected. Do you have insomnia? Forgo the melatonin or going to this doctor for a prescription, just throw this album on and you'll sleep like a drunk baby. I could give a fuck about this endless river of shit being a cash grab from Pink Floyd, if it was musically interesting I would listen to it regardless. Much like Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music being a middle finger to the music industry and I still enjoy it, the intentions of the artist mean nothing to me. There are points on the album where I thought to myself "holy shit! They're actually doing something interesting!" But I guess Pink Floyd decided that having a song or album be interesting all the way through wouldn't be what Richard Wright wanted. I've even listened to this album stoned, and it still did nothing for me. It is a sad world we live in when a Pink Floyd album doesn't impress someone who's high as a kite. Unless you like wanky new age bullshit, avoid, avoid, avoid. I wasted my time with this record so you don't have to. You're welcome.

I'm not going to put an art piece with this one. Doesn't seem fitting.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

DeadChannel

****, I bought this album as a christmas gift for someone...