HAWKWIND
- Live 1990 (Voiceprint)
Now
you may have noticed my stern criticism of the recent 'archive' collections
put out by the band in association with Voiceprint. Sometimes the packaging
compensated ("Complete Live 79"), sometimes the bootleggers
were embarassed to be seen with a copy ("Glastonbury 90").
Here, we're slap bang in the middle.
The
sound quality is excellent, if a little dry, the source being a 'live
in the studio' TV broadcast. But there are moments when the hawks take
flight as only they can ("Assasins of Allah"), and the Bridget
Wishart moments are few and far between. Mind you, it's possibly the
first time I've seen someone credited with mime on an audio CD. Hanging
too good, a special circle of hell reserved, televised mime hunting,
let's see how well they mime a shotgun blast etc.
If
you're a Hawkwind fan, this is recommended, as it's a period worth documenting.
But, again, not for the casual visitor to Planet Hawk. But please, new
amterial soon! Bring on the Death Generator.
Hawkwind
will be performing at the War Of The World show next May. www.waroftheworlds.info
for details.
BASEMENT
3 -Rising
If
you only listened to the opening track, "Mantra", you'd be
forgiven for thinking that Basement 3 were a hippy Dub War. When in
fact, they've taken a SPin Doctor / King's X hybrid, chucked in a clarinet,
and come up with a refreshing new approach.
Hippy
alert! This is a concept album.
But
one that has a shared unity of purpose, rather than a bloated progwank.
Act One: Below is a fairly dark, oppressive and despondent trawl, which
makes the arrival of Act Two: Rising, all the more welcome. It's in
this act that we pick up an American Music Club / Red House Painters
vibe. In fact, should Mark Eitzel ever do another covers album, then
"I Am" is custom built for him.
This
is very much a labour of love from the monomenclatured Kenny (who is
Basement 3), and his personal quest makes for compelling listening.
Recommended, and we hope he finds what he's looking for.
www.basement3.com
themerrymole@earthlink.net
Thanks
to Tim and Terri-B at Stone Premonitions.
BASEMENT 3
- "Rising" (review 2)
Basement
3 is an American band masterminded by Kenny (No second name given) who
composes, produces, engineers, sings and plays guitars, bass, tenor
sax, flute (on the concluding track 'Last Song') and also turns his
hand to the occasional percussion and some rather disconcerting 'violin
noises' on 'Back Home'.
This group has been featured on Alchemical Radio recently and my thanks
go to Terri~B for introducing me to them. 'Habit' (featured on the 14
July programme) is a particularly haunting song with its acerbic lyric
and an atmosphere ranging from snarling punk to a more subtle balladic
form (reflecting the artist's angst perfectly) Kenny is accompanied
here by Dave Gary Junior on drums, Chris Mondt on bass and Dan Shafer
on piano. There are three other drummers featured on this album- Kevin
Higuchi, Gordon Gurley and Mike Freitas as well as clarinet on 4 tracks
(Les Harris), cello on 2 (Madeleine Rowan), trombone on 3 (Tony Lanzino),
baritone sax on 2 (Swampy Dave) Add to this DJ Pone on 'turntables'
and you get an idea of how diverse the instrumentation is (and I haven't
covered everything!)
This all makes for a sonically intriguing album that encompasses many
moods and styles like 'rap' in the first part of the album's opener
'Mantra'- a very catchy chorus here. 'Connection' is another interesting
track with all the intensity of a Peter Hammill composition. 'Forever'
has a great 'eastern' rhythm with the 'brass section' giving a very
full sound. A rap style is again cleverly incorporated at one point
making for a very successful track.
One of the most beautiful tracks on 'Rising' is the 'unplugged' one
'I Am' where Kenny and Mike Freitas produce a breathtakingly beautiful
ballad that lasts for nearly 8 minutes! The title track begins with
nice acoustic guitar, the rhythm section kicks in then a rap delivery
and some very personal lyrics once more- the interesting thing about
this music is that the rap is not used repetitively making it much more
palatable to someone like myself who's not really into it in a big way.
I don't know what sort of percussion instrument a dumbek is but it,
and the cello, are both very effective. There is a heavier section when
Kenny's electric guitar 'enters the fray' and some rousing tenor sax/
trombone to conclude.
The theme running through this track and other parts of the album seems
to be, as Kenny puts it, "to exchange the demons of depression
and imagined victimisation for the strength of self acceptance"-
I'm sure most of us could identify with that!
'Push' is the heaviest and shortest track as the band reverts to a guitar
trio. 'Clear' has a punchy 4 piece brass section and is a more overtly
rap piece with DJ Pone returning on 'scratching'. A visit to the band's
web site on www.basement3.com explains some of the thinking- "music
that dances, screams, whispers", "rich in emotion and colour",
"passionate", "primal meets urban", "World
Music with the fury of punk, industrial and avant garde jazz" are
some of the words and phrases used. Kenny's impressive musical pedigree
stretches back as far as 1982 and his stated influences include Coltrane,
XTC, Bartok, Marsalis, Portishead, Waits and PJ Harvey.
This is a deeply personal and eclectic album arranged like a musical
with an overture ('Mantra'), two acts ('Below' and 'Rising') and a finale
('Last Song') - the mixture of styles and the instrumentation make for
a pretty unique listening experience- recommended!
(Merry Mole Music)
(Phil
Jackson) musician
and reviewer
SUTROBATH
- Aquatica
We
said nice things about the last Sutrobath release, but in "Aquatica",
they've exceeded expectations.
For
this is a glistening, melodic masterpiece. Anyone who appreciates strong
melodies, imaginative arrangements and well constructed songs will be
in seventh heaven here, Michael Soisoth and Robert Wollan, together
with friends, have put together a modern, post-progressive dream. If
you're looking for easy examples, then early 90s Marillion and latter
day Porcupine Tree are the lazy mans shorthand, together with a hefty
nod to the power pop of Badfinger on tracks like "Never Been Better".
"Spirit
Of The Audio" was a tasty aperitif, but his is a main course, par
excellence. Highlights? Many. "Aquatica", "Bitter"
(ouch!), "You're In Love", "Fabulous Nothing". Gems,
one and all. One of the best releases this year.
Oh,
and don't forgot to hold on for the hidden tracks.
www.sutrobath.com
sutrobath@hotmail.com
Thanks
to Tim and Terri-B at Stone Premonitions.
SUTROBATH
- "Aquatica" (Review 2)
There
is a real good feeling about this CD in the bright production and the
incurable optimism that seems to shine through the music despite the
intensity of 'Bitter', an infectious rant of disenchantment that definitely
appeals to my darker side!
The short 'Never Been Better' is an intelligent pop song, very Beatles
influenced in the vocal harmonies and arrangement.
'White Star' is another great song, about the Titanic presumably, and
the sort of thing we should be hearing instead of the constantly recycled
pap the media is obsessed with, some of it noteworthy of course but
completely overcooked!
This segues into 'Holiday', a near 6 minute extravaganza with a familiar
sounding bass line, another transportation back to the Beatles at their
creative best and a rousing little guitar break. (There are actually
3 guitarists on this particular track) Nice strings and horn give this
track a big sound. I thought we were going into a few bars of 'All Together
Now' here! I first heard this track on 'Alchemical Radio' #22 (14 July)
(They know not what they do!!) and was hooked. Another track featured
on 'Alchemical Radio' was 'Fabulous Nothing' with a remarkable similarity
to Peter Gabriel in the vocal. 'Wave Breaks' returns to the 'Welcome
to Aquatica' theme on the opening 6 minute song which made me wonder-
why the obsession with water- is it the fact that 2/3 of our planet
is covered by it or the theory that all life originated there?
The album closes with a 'Reprise' of the poignant opening song played
on piano in a style reminiscent of Joni Mitchell.
The crystal clear acoustic guitars, the wonderful vocal harmonies, the
use of strings, the Beatlish guitar arpeggios, the clever arrangements
and strong production- all these factors combine to make this one of
the most enjoyable 'power pop' albums I've heard since 'Speaking of
The Davenports'.
Sutrobath is the work of Michael Soiseth on guitars, electric piano
and synths and Robert Wollam on drums, acoustic guitar and authoharp
ably assisted by a cornucopia of backing musicians.
Now what this pair might do if they moved in an even more progressive
direction!
Visit www.sutrobath.com
And tune into http://www.aural-innovations.com
(Phil
Jackson) musician
and reviewer
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