Hey Colossus (again!)

 Oh, the oh-so predictable fan boy is bound to post about his favourite band’s new album…

So anyway, the thing is out imminently. However, I went to see them play last week, which was a truly mighty and groovy experience even allowing for Tim Farthing blowing up his guitar amp and having to borrow one for the remainder of the set, and I thus scored myself the new CD. And new CD has been played daily since.

Their website also links to a stream of the new album, but I don’t know how long that’ll be up for.

Although it isn’t quite as good as In Black and Gold (what is? not a lot, that’s what), it do have some mighty fine music on here, it do. Album highlight (for me) is Hop the Railings, which makes me think of Circle going post-punk. Also doing serious time in my head has been Numbed Out  and Another Head. It’s a generally more up-tempo record, and the increasingly cleaner production does foreground the interplay amongst the guitarists with a clarity that hasn’t been heard before, although at some cost to their heaviness (this can be compensated somewhat by playing the thing uber-loud). When they do slow things down, they’re reminding me of Earth’s recent stuff.

Let’s hope this small wave of incredible goodwill they’ve noticed becomes a large one, especially if it means they’ll make more music. However, there is no need to completely abandon absent mindedly clanging off more riffathons. Rigidity has its place (in corpses, and here may be the germ of a new macro-series), but it’s a tool, not a paradigm.

Major Chat (and Lieutenant Gripe)

Actually, I’m going to start with the gripe.

I really want to buy this album. I mean, you’ve just listened to the excerpts right? So now you do too, obviously. The only options I have are vinyl (not possible; don’t have record player or supporting infrastructure) or Itunes only digital download (not possible; don’t have Itunes and don’t fucking want it). I did send a message to the person at Eremite records but he no replied in the two months or so since I did it. There’s loads of other digital shops, why not make it available to them too? Or even make a CD version, I’ll buy those at a pinch.

Grrrrr.

So any suggestions are welcome!

I discovered a new release from the awesome Electric Moon; it’s every bit as good as everything else they’ve done although this time it’s entirely instrumental.

I went to see the mighty GNOD at The Cookie in Leicester. Talk about an awesome immersion of sound! I didn’t recognise anything whatsoever, although there were familiar bits. I don’t know if they’ve reworked material for the ‘stripped down’ 4 piece rock band that they presented us with that night or whether this was entirely new material, and I don’t care. All I know is it was marvellous. So it got me playing them lots again – I’ve rediscovered Full Moon Ritual, and they also released a live CD just after Infinity Machines called Gestalt, which is well worth your listening experience. Also, bass player Marlene releases music as Negra Branca and the first track on this is just brilliant.

I can’t do an update without mentioning Hey Colossus, who have new stuff via split releases. There’s this split with the Hotel City Wrecking Traders and they’ve also done one with White Manna which I’ve not yet bought. And whilst searching for these links I found this, which soon I shall check. Also, they’re playing Leicester at the end of this month and I really want to go.

Updating on previous things I’d discovered and linked before deciding whether I liked, Valerio Cosi made a release that I thoroughly love. There’s a particular track that makes me think he’s got what Swans have been trying to get since their comeback, certainly in intensity. Not for the faint hearted.

And finally, I’ve listened to and loved Follakzoid‘s previous release. It’s just as good as III. I think I really need to check their first two releases now.

Rob Mazurek – Alternate Moon Cycles

Ha! This’ll sort out the psychonauts from the stylites.

I have discovered this concurrently with Les Sorciers du Theil and the two albums complement each other superbly well, although they do stand alone equally well, too. This is proper meditation music. Total drone. Any of you who are attached to the idea of a second note entering a piece of music may want to move along, nothing to see here.

The man seems to have quite a list of works to his credit although this is my first exposure to him, hence why I specified the album. I feel I’m going to be checking out his catalogue though, and I have a feeling that will be a pleasure.

Les Sorciers du Theil

I can’t remember where I heard or read about these. Apparently they convene annually and improvise some music. Maybe they should convene more frequently.

They put me in mind of: Parson Sound, Master Musicians of Bukkake, a little bit Electric Moon, a twist of Selim Lemouchi, and the whispered vocals on the final track of Polyte Deshaies make me think of Current 93.

I really haven’t got anything to write! Marvellous music, though. I am listening to it often.