Outsight
Outsight: Illegal Drukqs
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Outsight brings to light non-mainstream music, film, books, art, ideas and opinions.
Published, somewhere, monthly since July 1991. Feel free to re-print this article.
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NEWS *********************************
KRS & T&G
Kill Rock Stars (http://www.killrockstars.com) and 5 Rue Christine change distributors effective January 1 2002 to Chicago’s Touch and Go Records. Touch and Go is based in Chicago. Along with sister label Quarterstick, Touch and Go also distributes Merge, Thrill Jockey, Drag City, Estrus, Emperor Jones, Warm Electronic Recordings, Overcoat Recordings and more. The first record to be part of this new arrangement is Xiu Xiu's Knife Play (5RC) in February. The KRS records to go through the new system will be Comet Gain and Quix*o*tic's newest in March 2002. Previously, Mordam Records had distributed Kill Rock Stars for about 8 years and before that K records from 1991 to 1993.
ILLEGAL DRUKQS
The TV spot for Aphex Twin’s new album Drukqs was banned in the United Kingdom. However, you can still share in its creepy half-minute over the Web via Real Player by surfing to http://www.aphex-twin.com/aphxtv.ram. For Windows Media, go to http://www.aphex-twin.com/aphxtv.asx.
SBS RECORDS ACCEPTING SAMPLER SUBMISSIONS
SBS Records, the indie label founded and run by musician Michelle Malone, accepts submissions for consideration for the label's Indie Music sampler. For accepted entries, as well as appearing on the sampler CD, they will be tied to Web entries for each artist or band. The CD will be given away to the SBS Records fan base of more than 15,000. Artists receive 50 free samplers. "We have received incredible response about the samplers from the musicians involved and their fans, and we will continue to offer the sampler as long as the demand is there," says Malone. Submissions must be made on CD of songs less than 4:20 in length with the song or songs (no more than two) for consideration clearly marked on the disc. Submissions go to: SBS Records, P.O. Box 3092, Decatur, GA 30031, ATTN: SAMPLER. There is no application fee, but a $275 fee will apply for accepted material to be used. Artists retain all publishing rights and ownership.
PREACHING TO THE PERVERTED
Pigface, the post-Ministry industrial super group that features Meg Lee Chin and Chris Connelly took to the road mid-November with Gravity Kills and gODHEAD. The tour continues through to December 22 for a final show at The Vic in Chicago.
Listen to or Buy Invisible Records at CDNow
HEARTS OF THE VALLEY
Valley Entertainment, a distributor of in-print CDs, has raised the visibility of the after-hours electronic New Age of Hearts of Space. Valley Entertainment actually acquired Hearts of Space in a deal that covers back catalog and future releases. Part of that resurrection is the recently released David Darling's Cello Blue. The album debuted at #4 on the New Age Voice Chart from this arranger for multiple cellos with piano, formerly of the Paul Winter Consort. From another hemisphere comes Rasa. Union is the uniting of traditional Sanskrit and Bengali songs with atmospheric Western approaches. The duo that is Rasa offers the ethereal vocals of Kim Waters and the varied instruments of Hans Christian: on this album from cello to nykelharpa and keyboards to tambura.
Listen to or Buy David Darling at CDNow
Listen to or Buy Rasa at CDNow
DVD REVIEWS *************************
Sidney J. Furie, Director
The Leather Boys
Kino on Video
http://www.kino.com
Unruly 1960’s English motorcycle rebels populate this story and the paths taken into adulthood by three wayward youths. Dot (Rita Tushingham, A Taste of Honey) and Reg (Colin Campbell) rush into a marriage that swiftly disintegrates as Reg dwells on sex and his motorcycle friends. One of these friends, the shortsighted Pete (Dudley Sutton) offers Reg much needed camaraderie. However, Pete clings too tightly, making the eventual reunion of Dot and Reg that much more difficult for all involved, including the possible sexually undirected Pete. (3)
More on this video title from CDNow
Genitortures
Society of Genitorture
Retribution Music/G-Spot Films/Music Video Distributors
http://www.genitortures.com
http://www.musicvideodistributors.com
Gen of Genitortures has made a name for her body, showing off its liberal Nordic beauty as a tall Teutonic Mistress of Discipline. The hard rock-heavy metal-industrial music fairly blends from one song to another, but the “psychosexual” theatrical antics keep the loyal fans coming back. In three “acts,” this seven-song S&M show is everything you’d expect from gorgeous Gen and her B&D helpers. (3)
More on this video title from CDNow
Michael Bishop and Scott Jacoby, Directors
Rage - 20 Years of Punk Rock: West Coast Style
Seventh Art Releasing
http://www.7thart.com/
Rage is a fascinating documentary covering the genesis of West Coast American punk rock two decades earlier. What makes the story so interesting is the core of the telling, which is the interviews with punk luminaries. Delineating the beginnings of the genre in California is a most candid Jack Grisham of TSOL (he stole his instruments), a self-deprecating Jello Biafra (he knew nothing of music) and a disguised Keith Morris of the Circle Jerks (great glasses!). Also interviewed is former Christian Death goddess and current mother, Gitane Demone, pro-skater Duane Peters of U.S. Bombs and seminal punk drummer Don Bolles and more. Interspersed among the interviews is vintage footage of the Dead Kennedys, The Screamers, Christian Death and more. (3.5)
More on this video title from CDNow
Emerson Lake & Palmer
Pictures at an Exhibition – Collectors Edition
D2 Division Ltd/Favourite TV Inc./ Music Video Distributors
http://www.musicvideodistributors.com
This is a DVD release of the 1970 film made of the classic art-trio performing their opus with skill and the evidence of some serious rehearsing. The digitally remastered recording sounds a bit muddy at the beginning but is in every way superior to contemporary editions. You do not need your DVD to enjoy this fact, because one side of the disc is CD audio. Few prog-rock concept albums can hold a candle to this exquisite collection of impressionistic songs, mostly the original music of composer Mussorgsky. (4)
More on this video title from CDNow
Toots & The Maytals
Live at Santa Monica Pier
Allah Son/Music Video Distributors
http://www.musicvideodistributors.com
Toots & The Maytals is a foundation for the ska sound, as we are often reminded enthusiastically on this concert DVD. This 1997 recording at a California beach soiree is pretty far from the early, groundbreaking Toots, but a good proto-reggae vibe still comes across. (3)
More on this video title from CDNow
Justin Mitchell
Songs For Cassavetes
The Breadcrumb Trail/Music Video Distributors
http://www.thebreadcrumbtrail.com
http://www.musicvideodistributors.com
Filmmaker John Cassavetes characterized his work with the quote, "In this country, people die at the age of 21. They die emotionally at 21, maybe younger. My responsibility as an artist is to help them past 21." It is this quote that gives the film its title, a film about musicians surviving and helping others survive post-teen angst. Also, while the film features several bands and band members it is produced not as a music buffet but an exploring documentary. Mostly the West cost neo-punk and Olympia, WA, K Records indie rock sound is the focus of this film. Studio music selections trickle in but the rest of the music selections are short, live excerpts that are uniformly muddy in sound. What this film has to offer is honest, natural interviews with the artists on the DIY ethic and what they get out of a hard job that is not financially rewarding. The 6mm black and white production independently produced over four years features Sleater-Kinney, Some Velvet Sidewalk, The Hi-Fives, Unwound and more. In addition to the film, the DVD includes a 26-minute radio interview/video montage section featuring the personalities of the film and beyond into the national underground music community. (3.5)
More on this video title from CDNow
Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker in Concert
inakustik/ Music Video Distributors
http://www.in-akustik.com
www.musicvideodistributors.com
Anyone that has seen the Woodstock film will vividly recall the compelling, spasmodic, transcendental performance by Cocker of <!span> "A Little Help From My Friends." Nearly three decades later, this DVD captures an episode of the Organic Tour recorded October 15, 1996 at the Ohne Filter TV studio. At this point, Cocker has long since distilled and refined the Dionysian energy into exquisite Apollonian soul. His masterful, soul renditions of “Don’t Let me be Misunderstood,” “Delta Lady,” High Lonesome Blue” and other Cocker classics require no flailing arms any more it make an indelible impression. (3.5)
More on this video title from CDNow
ALBUM REVIEWS *************************
Monique Berry
Waking Up
Cantata Entertainment Group
http://www.cantataentertainment.com
http://www.moniqueberry.com
Monique Berry, a promising piano song artist, emerges fully formed as a stunning pop-soul artist on her sophomore release Waking Up. Emotionally bare, these songs are authentic and intimate portraits of a revealing lyricist showing advanced sophistication in her arrangements. Monique’s songs are beautifully understated pieces that use jazz expression, touches of percolating ethnic percussion and smart, R&B phrasing. The Asian edition includes an excellent rendition of Paul Simon’s “Bridge over Troubled Water.” (4)
Listen to or Buy at Amazon.com
Various Artists
The Hot Girls Invite You to Their Chartbustin’ 70’s Party
RPM
http://www.rpmrecords.co.uk
info.rpm@ntlworld.com
Hot Hits was a 20-volume series that flew off the shelves into the hands of eager Top 40 fans in the ‘70’s. This 2-CD set collects RPM’s choice of 45 “top” 45-sides from this compilation series. These are well knows songs, like “Lola,” “Penny Lane” and “You’re so Vain” recorded by session musicians. Production was top-notch, often occurring at such prestigious locations as EMI’s Abbey Road studios. This is the first time any part of this slice of ‘70’s music interpreted during the ‘70’s has made it to CD. (3)
Claire Ritter
Castles in the Air
Zoning Records
Claire Ritter is an innovative pianist uniting kinetic neo-classical themes with hip, jazz grooves in original compositions performed largely acoustically excepting the added substance of electric bass. There is something Brazilian in the tropical hedonism suggested by his freeing, loose-limbed pieces. This example of Ritter’s far-seeing, cross-genre vision is a discovery of magic, sophistication and fun. (4.5)
Sianspheric
The Sound of the Colour of the Sun
Sonic Unyon
Sianspheric offers the dense, swirling space rock of such acts as Galaxie 500, Spacemen 3 and others. As such, this music is a scintillating, enveloping sadness of variegated beauty. Their voice is the modern corollary of that classic blues line, “I hate to see the evening sun go down.” This is the feeling of the blues in a post-rock palette using the verse-chorus-verse brushes for broad-stoked, wall-of-sound impressionism. (3.5)
Miriodor
Mekano
Cuneiform Records, POB 8427, Silver Spring, MD 20907-8427
http://cuneiformrecords.com
Miriodor creates hyper-sophisticated, post-jazz, post-classical music that requires multi-genre skill on its players. This is on the level of Zappa/Mothers of Invention for Dadaist art-rock with humor and innovation. This Canadian Rock in Opposition act offers a subtle French flavor to their creative romps through prog rock and the Third Stream. Fans of Henry Cow, The Residents and the “chamber rock” movement will appreciate their zany genius. (4.5)
Einstürzende Neubauten
Strategies Against Architecture III: 1991-2001
Mute
http://www.mute.com
This 2-CD set collects previously unreleased, obscure and alternate versions of Einstürzende Neubauten material from the decade 1991-2001. Because this retrospective does not merely cull from released albums it is an excellent compendium for hardcore fans of the rhythm and noise artists. Also, because this is the decade of the group’s most accessible work yet, this is an ideal entry point for the curious. “The Garden” could have come off Peter Gabriel’s Ein Deutsches Album and some other tracks could have been on the same album, had Trent Reznor produced it. Strategies Against Architecture III is an important overview of the work from these artists that helped spawn industrial music without enjoining any of its ostentatiousness. (5)
Pierre Bensusan
Intuite
Favored Nations
http://www.favorednations.com
http://www.pierrebensusan.com
Bensusan gives us a level of amazing solo acoustic guitar performance that has only been achieved by such artists as John Fahey, Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges. The delicate, shimmering beauty of this performance arising from a sole performer is always captivating. This contemporary acoustic guitar virtuoso voices jazz, pop and world sounds in this boundary-crossing vocabulary of his expansive yet cohesive pieces. The six-string sorcery of this French-Algerian master suggests mystical desert oases and active Parisian café scenes. (5)
Musikanten
Sacred Music of Robert Evett
Innova
http://www.innovarecordings.com
Evett was a 20th Century American Composer who produced an impressive body of sacred choral music. While he was productive in many differing genres, this excellent recording from the 19 Voices of Musikanten celebrates his lesser-known contributions to the Catholic liturgy. Some pieces are a cappella, while the others have organ accompaniment. (4.5)
Suzanne Vega
Songs in Red and Gray
A&M Records
On Songs in Red and Gray personally revisits her acoustic origins with a backdrop of electronic slow-throb beats. The result is an album as warm and personal as it is mechanical and electronic. While the juxtaposition may threaten instability, the effect is largely one of balance and effective contrast. Vega’s personal, poetic lyrics and arrangements of unplugged melodies over mellow beat music make Songs in Red and Gray a memorable and successful fusion of styles. (4)
Satoko Fujii Trio
Junction
Ewe Records
http://www.ewe.co.jp/
The complex, protean nature of Fujii’s talent means one does not know what to expect from her recording. Her sophisticated arrangements can take her piano playing into the realm of Twentieth Century Music on one disc and adventurous free jazz on another. Here, in trio setting with bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Jim Black, she once again surprises with tight, hard bop instrumental jazz. (4.5)
Various Artists
Compound
Sulfur/Beggars Group
http://www.beggars.com
Robin Rimbaud, a.k.a Scanner, continues to advance the cause of sophisticated chill-out electronica with another compilation of various artists from his Sulfur label. Some of the usual suspects appear: SFT, Future Pilot AKA and Scanner’s appropriately subdued alter ego Scannerfunk. All in all this is a perfect technophile’s post-psychedelic headspace excepting the incongruous appearance of brash hip-hop from DJ Spooky and MC Stainless Steele. (3.5)
New Wet Kojak
No. 4 EP
Beggars Banquet
http://www.beggars.com
NWK vocalist Scott McCloud, also guitarist-vocalist for Girls Against Boys, recalls the singing style of The Fall’s Mark E. Smith. This is an approach stylized by dry authenticity rather than contrived hummability. In the mix are the ghosts of rock-n-roll remembered inside electronica triumphant. New Wet Kojak absorbs and reshapes underground rock from the post-punk ethos to the after-hours club scene. They artfully perform this alchemy sewing in a soulful vein of saxophone. (4)
Demolition String Band
Pulling Up Atlantis
Okra-Tone Records
http://www.okra-tone.com
http://www.bottledmajic.com
Demolition String Band can go from a classic achey-breaky country sound the sad duet “A Career of Loving You” to a twanging, barnburner version of “Like a Prayer.” Their infectious country-folk, typified by the bouncy, metaphoric “Give it to the Needy” is a wholly unpretentious, witty incursion into no-depression alt-country. Among the guest musicians on the group’s third release are Robert Randolph (Sacred Steel, John Medeski’s The Word), John Ginty (Sheryl Crow), Sim Cain (Henry Rollins Band) and Robert Burke Warren (The Fleshtones). (3.5)
Raoul Björkenheim
Apocalypso
Cuneiform Rune
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/
Raoul formed Krakatau in the late 80's after graduating from Berklee School of Music. Since, he has been an experimental rock mover and shaker, engaging in many projects. Raoul Björkenheim is an innovative sound sculptor creating instrumental masterpieces with foundations in rock and jazz. Over the years, Raoul has played with like-minded talents such as Henry Kaiser, Nicky Skopelitis and Mike Keneally. These artists are also excellent reference points for appreciating the sophisticated and oblique approach taken to guitar performance here. This piece was realized 1994-5 as a commission for the Helsinki Juhlaviikot Festival and originally intended for 100 guitarists. Björkenheim’s final piece is for 42 musicians: 30 guitarists, 8 bassists and 4 percussionists. This 2000 recording includes parts added since and features Raoul performing all parts in the studio as a virtual ensemble. (5)
Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones
Nonesuch
http://www.nonesuch.com
Chameleon guitarist Bill Frisell announces on the title of this worthy instrumental release his one-time collaboration with legendary jazz stalwarts Dave Holland, the British bassist of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew period, and Detroit drummer Elvin Jones, who reconfigured jazz from his seat at the back of the John Coltrane Quartet. The content of this album is Frisell numbers hand-picked by co-producer Lee Townsend and himself for reincarnation by this historic jazz trio. (4.5)
The Nectarine No. 9
Received, Transgressed & Transmitted
Creeping Bent/Beggars Banquet
http://www.beggars.com
http://www.13thnote.com/creepingbent
http://andyw.zinc.co.uk/nectarine9
The Nectarine No. 9 waxes and wanes between whimsical art-pop songs complete with string sections and grainy, over-exposed avant-garde guitar-and-electronica on this album of varying texture and mood. Their edgy experimentalism mixed with near-bubblegum dulcet melodies works for this encompassing, amorphous sound machine. No matter where they veer into arty angularity, they never stray far from an easy-beat pop hook. (4)
Mushroomhead
XX
Filthy Hands/Eclipse Records
Mushroomhead offers a disc of dark, black metal ala Static-X and Slipknot. Through it all, it is impossible not to think that it’s all been done before. But, if you’re after more of the same post-heavy metal hardcode, Mushroomhead does it like they mean it. A bonus, ‘hidden’ track at the end is a hilarious call by an indignant African-American when he finds out he’s not the kid of “black” the group expected to answer their ad for a guitarist. (2)
Victim’s Family
Apocalicious
Alternative Tentacles, POB 419096, SF, CA 94141-9092
http://www.alternativetentacles.com
This group has long delved into fringe areas of punk that border on funk, noise rock and hard rock. This album builds on past efforts with more breakneck changes, freaky fusions and socially aware satire. Few other groups, among them Mucky Pup and Mr. Bungle, have so blended a precise punch with arty noise into a post-metal punk mix. (3.5)
Outsight is non-mainstream music news and views. The content is wholly based on new releases and a focus on the the eclectic and overlooked.
