3.20.2015

A review of Alessandro Cortini's "Forse 3"




























Don't let the purple vinyl fool you, this album does not contain Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails, How to destroy angels, SONOIO) covering Prince on a Buchla music easel*.
I was worried this might just be cast offs, leftovers fromForse 1 and Forse 2, but Cortini still has places to take us; tumultuous starfields, deep caverns, and to witness the coronation of unfathomable cosmic entities. 
 
Side A
Conta (Counts)**
Soft, 8-bit future, which builds and blurs and blots itself out.
 
Rimasta (Remained)
Jagged, hissing throb at its start, then a surprisingly rapid pace emerges. The first time a BPM is really noticeable, maybe in the entire trilogy. Deep, soothing waves emerge from within, providing comfort in this place. Dissolves into pixelsteam.
 
Side B
Scappa (Get Away)
Low, cavernous thrum to start, then something almost like strings develops, great juxtaposition, a pure white light shining up from the darkness below. The darkness persists, trying to swallow the light while it still can, the dark gets more menacing, the light more hopeful; it's a beautiful, sorrowful, slow motion battle/ballet. Light prevails, than is muted by the surrounding darkness, they both swell, matching each other until they come together as some royal, elegant hybrid, rising over everything, an absolutely goddamn gorgeous tale, if you've the eyes and ears for it. A dissonant conclusion...
This track makes me yearn for more instruments or some soaring vocals but does a tremendous job of doing what it does, expressing what it does, without the use of them.
 
Scotta (Sheet)
Blippy future stuff, with a grinding pulse beneath. After a moment, things get chaotic, then smooth out, then distort again, then smooth out again.
Noises of various pitches come and go, but nothing really happens here, grating. It just gets exhausting eventually.
 
Side C
Senza Aria (Without Air)
Something light and whimsical about this, delicate. Yet another example of Cortini's warmth and humanity shining through his machines. A human, beating heart powering metal lungs/jaws. I love the way this blossoms, the light descends and brings the lower sections into the celebration, it's almost a counterpoint to "Scappa".
Some golden tones ring out towards the end, unifying high and low, almost a coda. Everything shimmers out over the horizon. Light doesn't fully fade for quite some time...actually starts to get kind of annoying, to be frank.*** Following up a sumptuous meal with an ant-covered candy bar.
Wishing for digital version right about now...
Straight up piercing shriek at the end (at least I hope it's the end). Feels like a "fuck you" from Cortini.
This could have been three minutes shorter and fantastic.
Good name, because, by the end, I felt like I was being strangled.
 
Retta (Straight Line)
After a few uninteresting moments, the melody (very old and heroic) makes itself heard. "Senza Aria" is still lingering and has made me impatient, not a great place to be with any of Cortini's Forse albums. This isn't jogging music.
The playful melody continues to strengthen like sunlight through stained glass. Ends feeling palatial and spacious.
 
Side D
Macchia (Stain)
Wow, like stepping through a doorway and walking right into some sort of cosmic cataclysm. Unlike anything else in the Forse trilogy. The title might refer to something huge and ageless leaking through and tainting multiple realities, very troubling. And very, very big. The word "leviathan" comes to mind. The listener is bearing witness to the passing of something incomprehensible, hence the omnipresent chaotic susurrus in the background. 
 
Ritorna (Returns)
Something cold and militaristic about this; an army, clad in black, searching some ruined dystopian landscape.
There's no real melody here, just pulses of sick, distorted noise. In that sense, it's a bit like "Scotta". The ending gets bigger, bolder, but not much more interesting.
 
Bestia (Beast)
Thick, infected, techno pus. Filthy to hear a machine make such a noise; unique to Forse. Would be at home on something by Aural Rage. As it stands, a far less monumental conclusion to the Forse trilogy than it deserves. Fantastic texture though. The sound of techno-organic poison.
 
Of the twenty nine tracks that make up the Forse trilogy, I'd say there's about twelve really fantastic, stand out pieces among them, the rest, while still well crafted and nuanced (for the most part) end up blurring together. But, for most musicians, it's difficult to do anything more than clumsily wield a Buchla music easel, Cortini utilizes it as a true sonic artist.
 
A quick note regarding formats: I'd recommend not picking up the vinyl unless you're a collector/completionist; the worlds Cortini takes you to shouldn't hiss and pop unless he deems it appropriate. If you must have the limited edition clear, purple vinyl, head over to Important Records and get yours while they're still around. There's also the less ostentatious (and less awesome) black vinyl for five dollars cheaper. If you prefer something a bit more portable than a record, the digital release is set for March 24th on iTunes.
 
* Although I'd pay upwards of a hundred dollars to hear the results.
 
** Not the same "Conta" from Forse 2. I suppose Cortini ran out of two syllable Italian words...?
 
*** Sometimes, I review as I listen to things for the first time, hence the rather drastic change in my tone. Just a heads up.

3.02.2015

End of the Month Music Bitchfest - February 2015

They Might Be Giants
Dial-A-Song Round Up! pt. 2

"Hate The Villanelle" (another TMBG song that will makes TMBG fans feel smarter than those of other bands) was premiered rather brokenly back in June of 2014 at an NPR thing in Brooklyn. The album version feels very Phil Collinsey, mainly in the instrumentation. It's a villanelle about how annoying it is to write a villanelle.
*drops bibliography*

You ever get upset that TMBG hasn't made enough music to which one can jitterbug? Meet "Let Me Tell You About My Operation", a brassy Flans number that, like, "Erase" (lyrically) is reminiscent of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Seeing this live at their 2/22 show (with Dan Miller playing the trumpet parts masterfully on his guitar) was one of its highlights, and, while I'd love to see it with real horns, if this is the only live version they roll out, I'm sated.

"Answer" is a very grown-up feeling Linnell number. Reminds me of elements of both his interpretation of Jonathan Lethem's "The Second Longest Night"* and "House of Mayors". If you've never heard those, then you probably now understand how into They Might Be Giants I am. This was debuted at their 2/22 show and went off almost without a hitch, well done, Linnell.

...and then...the bummer...
In April 2013, Flans sent out an email to all IFC members with a "proto demo" of a cover of Jonathan Richman's "I Was Dancing In A Lesbian Bar". He said it was part of a project (called Tres Might Be Giants, featuring bass clarinet, guitar and drums) that was going to happen but never did. It was fun, a slightly more clubby/high-hatted version of the original, but, you know, nothing spectacular; no "New York City" or "Istanbul", yet another cover to add to TMBG's list of covers. I listened a few times and then kind of forgot it. So, how distraught do you think I was to find this to be the 8th song from the deluge of "brand new" They Might be Giants music?
Lots. I was lots distraught.
Yes, this version is slightly different, but it's clear that not a lot changed between this "proto demo" and the final iteration.
But, hey, here's the thing: everything else has been so stellar that I'm willing to accept this as some sort of hiccup and forget it happened. I am, however, very, very anxious about the first DAS release in March.

Next, TMBG just posted a link to their latest fan hug: Flood Live In Australia, which opens with a minute and a half of applause after their "Theme From Flood", a pretty clear indicator that TMBG needs to get there more often.
Strewth.**
Download it for free (as well as their First Album Live) and listen to them back-to-back with the original albums. It's weird and a bit misty-eyed.
And, speaking of live shows, a review (with photos!!!!!!!!!!!!) of their second Brooklyn Stand shows will be up soon.

And, finally, I've managed to find a downside to this overabundance of new They Might Be Giants music (aside from the Week 8 offering and its horrifying implications): Flansburgh announced at their recent Brooklyn show that their new album (entitled Glean and set for release on April 21st) is going to be assembled from the first months of these Dial-A-Song songs. There will be no mystery, no surprise. In other words; there won't be anything new on any of the They Might Be Giants albums coming out this year. Unless they completely blow our fucking minds and release brand new albums alongside their 52 new tracks...which, based on a few statements from Flans, will not be the case.
There.
I knew I'd find something stupid to complain about.
Yay.
I'm an asshole.

P.S. Here's a review of their 2/22 show.

Eels
Eels posted a little taste of the Albert Hall concert film. You can see it here.
And, E has a track on Ben Lee's new mixtape. You can hear that, as well as the rest of the project, here.

Beck
So. Kanye West.

/startrant

Here are some notes I took as this was happening.

Tomorrow's headline: Addled Millionaire Man-Child Embarrasses Jay-Z, Beyonce, Self at 75th Annual Grammy Awards

For one second, imagine that hadn't been Kanye West, just some guy. Shot or just arrested and tasered?

What is it about money and fame that allows rude idiots with no grasp on reality to get away with things like this? Insane vs eccentric.

Then there's the fact that Morning Phase is better than Beyoncé.

Are my concerns because he was rude? No, because the media has given this jackass a mouthpiece and they praise him for this: "He's not unstable...he's wacky! And, seriously, thank Christ for this delightful jester and his outrageous rambling japes! If it weren't for him, we'd have to focus the music and not the people making the music! Which would not be lol!!!!!


If you're so sick and tired of being disrespected in the industry, then leave the fucking industry. The impetus for his pee riot is the same impetus that makes people go on the subway and scream about God when they personally feel people don't go to church enough, only they get ignored, because they're not this rich and celebrated cock. Also, quick survey: how many times, after being forcibly exposed to some God Shouter, have you thought "you know, that screaming zealot is right! I'm going to make a fresh start right now!"? If you answered anything other than never, then you're probably too dumb to even have understood the question, or even read this.

Can we get Kanye to wire his jaw shut again? But, I don't know...tighter this time?

/endrant


And, finally got around to listening to the new Aphex Twin EP, Computer Conducted Acoustic Instruments Pt.2. In two words: Yes. More.
It's dark and sinister and organic*** and funky and jazzy and scary as hell. You can feel James' demon's grin behind every discordant plink and clonk. But there is some beauty, specifically the soft, gorgeous piano piece, "Piano Un10 It Happened"****. There's also the genteel robot playing piano on "Piano Un1 Arpej" and again on "Disk Aud1_12", although, on that second one, the robot is clearly short circuiting. "Diskhat1" feels like the soundtrack for a gangly, razor-wielding psychopath's night out on the town, painting it red. "Diskprept4" is the introduction to a new, insane clockwork villain for the next season of Doctor Who and also feels like Reznor and Ross' Dragon Tattoo. "Disk Prep Calrec2 Barn Dance [Slo]" could be…perhaps…the circus' funeral procession for a dead clown who may have killed a kid.

Hey, remember, ten seconds ago when I said "Yes. More."?...Richard D. James just released a hundred and fucking ten unreleased and/or new Aphex Twin tracks.
If you need to know why, just look at his smile and all questioned will be answered...
Here are all 110, ready for free download.





* Jonathan Lethem developed the "Promiscuous Materials Project". You should check it out.

** Just kidding, they performed the album backwards...like, the song order, not, like, facing away from the crowd... But, still, they really should get to Australia more often.

*** But organic like a cyborg's skin that's been grown in a lab from human peptides could be considered organic. You can really imagine Richard D. James in a huge white room filled with acoustic instruments all being played by metal arms and legs that he's programmed.

**** Yeah, the track titles on this are pretty fucking awesome.