Kevin
Mathews:
October,
2005
So Much Music, So
Little Time
The absolute worst thing about putting this
column together is finding the time to do it. No kidding!
And the music keeps pouring in like a flood…so much of
it! You should see my worktable at home; it is basically CDs
piling on either side of my computer monitor. Not that I am
complaining about receiving free CDs - far from it. I guess
sometimes I feel a little guilty about not being able to get
the reviews done on time or at all.
So there will be times when I receive gentle reminders about
CDs that have been delivered to my mailbox. It's embarrassing
because considering the sheer volume of CDs that comes in;
I do on occasion misplace one or two. It's happened!
Also, there is the question of priority - which CDs do I review
first? When this prioritising is done, there may be the odd
CD that gets overlooked or left on the shelf. Thus, if that
has happened to any of you out there, I want to say I'm sorry…hopefully
I will get to your CD one day.
Why am I being so apologetic? Maybe it's because I've been
watching DVDs of Larry (Seinfeld co-creator) David's
Curb Your Enthusiasm. Those of you who have watched
this hilarious sitcom will know that Larry always gets into
trouble for things that may or may not be entirely be due
to his own faults (of which he has many). I guess, I just
don't want people to think of me as an uncaring ignoramus
who failed to keep his promise to review so-and-so CD.
So, once again, my humble apologies - that CD review you wanted
from me is coming - just give me a little more time…
In the meantime, here are a few albums I've been digging.
The last month or so, I have been revisiting the joys of prog.
Y'know, that magical period in the early 70s, when psychedelic
rock's penchant for experimentation led to a quest to meld
classical structures and jazz improvisation with rock's visceral
energy. Of course it is impossible to think about prog rock
without mentioning its leading lights viz. King Crimson, Yes,
Genesis, Jethro Tull, Soft Machine et al. In particular, I've
been focusing on the post-Peter Gabriel Genesis catalogue
from 1975 to 1980 and reliving my first brush with prog and
also the solo works of Bill Bruford, notably his collaborations
with ace guitarist Allan Holdsworth. Which brings me to J
& P (or Jeremy & Progresser) and The Pearl Of Great
Price (MALS) - an indie prog album for the new millennium.
With a slight electronic edge (ala Vangelis), this collaboration
between Jeremy Morris (better known for his powerpop music
but delivering his Steve Hackett chops here with aplomb))
and Vitaly Menshikov is premier instrumental progressive rock
with enigmatic tracks like "Spiral Vortex," "Alien
Nation" and "Battle Zone" providing the ultimate
soundtrack for an imaginary science-fiction/fantasy movie.
Not everyone's cup of tea perhaps but neo-prog fans should
lap this up.
Going backwards in rock history, I offer you Captain Wilberforce,
whom I believe I discovered at myspace.com. Hailing from Leeds,
England, Captain Wilberforce specialize in 60s Brit-rock,
especially the psychedelic rock of Pink Floyd and the Move.
Mindfilming (Self Released) is the group's debut and
within its 32 minutes, the freakbeat enthusiast will find
sufficient evidence of genius in tracks like the jaunty "A
Very British Earthquake," the dynamic glam-infused "Vaselined
Eyes," the folky "No Guarantees" and the intriguing
title track. Captain Wilberforce - a worthy addition to the
pop underground pantheon.
What passes for art-rock in 2005 would be a 'genre' I have
taken the liberty to label as 'widescreen rock.' Add another
find to this burgeoning list - the Crimea is an Irish outfit
headed by sometime poet Davy MacManus, whose affinity with
Brian Wilson's "pocket symphonies" guarantees that
each song is texturally satisfying, stylistically invigorating
and drenched with passion. Thus, new album Tragedy Rocks
(Double Dragon/Warner Bros) with tracks like "Lottery
Winners On Acid," "Losing My Hair," "Opposite
Ends," "Bad Vibrations" and "White Russian
Galaxy" are timeless pieces that, whilst paying homage
to their musical origins are never enslaved to them - allowing
a fresh mix of dynamics that is eclectic yet resolute.
Finally, Only Hope For Winter is a unique music DVD
release featuring Michael (the Rooks) Mazzarella, Huw Gower,
Dave Rave and Greg Field. Set in a studio at Hartford CT,
Mazzarella and the Fellows of Mortimer run through versions
of Rooks materials as well as previously unheard Mazzarella
compositions. Mostly done in a stripped done 'unplugged' fashion,
the DVD has a very casual home recording vibe that makes for
intimate viewing. Presented in lo-fi video production, Only
Hope For Winter succeeds in bringing Mazzarella and friends
into one's living room for a distinctive audio-visual experience.
That's it for October as I get back to Larry. Wondering what
kind of mess he can get into next!
Featured this month: -
J&P www.jamrecordings.com
Captain Wilberforce www.captainwilberforce.com
The Crimea www.thecrimea.net
Michael Mazzarella www.therooks.com
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