From: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org (idealcopy-digest) To: idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Subject: idealcopy-digest V1 #187 Reply-To: idealcopy@smoe.org Sender: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk idealcopy-digest Sunday, December 20 1998 Volume 01 : Number 187 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: compiling an ABC [Craig Grannell ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 05:08:35 -0800 (PST) From: Craig Grannell Subject: Re: compiling an ABC - ---professor ned wrote: >Everyone seems to love "Turns And Strokes" but >me; the soundquality is, in my opinion, deplorable. One reviewer said something like 'live Wire recordings from fans' walkmen, hoarded like a holy man's piss.' It's not quite as bad as that, although I hardly found it an endearing CD. >I must admit, the concept of"Dugga" does>frighten me quite a bit, but I really find most of that >intelligent/electronica/what you will crowd a bit tedious if the truth be known (this would>include just about anything Colin's done in the last five years or so). Not nearly as tedious as punk thrash guitars. Anyway, Drill is certainly the hallmark of tedium in its original form. I guess Graham's strained vocal in a recent live version is the most telling ("Intelligent noise"). And Dugga is, in parts, utterly tedious. However, more often than not it is energetic, dissonant, interesting, and sometimes even brilliant. And as for Colin's recent stuff, My Pet Fish has to be the -least- tedious (and one of the best) things I've heard in years. (And yes, I know it's released under Malka's name but they have effectively been doing inseperable collaborative work since 1986 and certainly for Swim~ and therefore whoever's name is on the front is neither here or there.) Having said that, the only track on Bastard I found tedious was the opener, the rest was anything but ... >P'o has been described to me as the bastard child of Dome and He Said, which can't be >anything but good if that's even partially true. I think that's actually a very apt description. It's certainly more of a pop album than any of the Dome / MZUI / etc releases. However, as I've previously said, a few too many tracks rely on mangling a pop riff and playing ethnic drumming over it. Still, Blind Tim and Vanite are breathtaking and it'll appeal to more mainstream tastes than Dome ever will. Worth getting hold of. >"Whore" is actually really nifty in parts, although the bits that are bad >are pretty bad. It does expose Lush for the Wire devotees they are/were. >Main's contribution is stellar. Worth owning, if just to hear Godflesh doing >"40 Versions". I really hated most of the straight or rock covers, including Godflesh (though the more leftfield ones such as MBV are okay). Scanner's Eardrum Buzz, Resolution's fantastic It's a Boy and Carl Mark's bubbly electronic version of Eastern Standard were all winners though these more interesting tracks only make up half the disc. >"The Haring" is sort of neat to own, and listen to once or twice(especially >the deadpan reading of the "Kidney Bingos" lyrics) but other than that... for completists only. I completely disagree with most people's reading of this. I've heard several people on and off this list with that opinion and even complaints that it's not 'musical'. I think the good thing with The Haring is that it isn't a music / pop album, it's not a Dome (experimental noise) album - it's closest companion is spoken word - kind of Burroughs-esque. Also, it cannot be just heard, it needs to be -listened- to (and there is a difference). Andrew described it as a TV show without the TV which was kind of nice. I'd liken it to a cross between that and a book ... maybe a soundtrack for a book. In fact, the only problem with the Haring is the 'musical' element in Children (eerie spooky noises - ugh). The stories are great though ... >"Coatings", put quite simply, rocks. Yup, apart from that bongo mix of In Vivo. Nice for UK people to finally be able to get hold of the Life in the Manscape B sides - I wonder why that CD5 wasn't released here ... >"Pre>He" is a disc I thouroughly enjoy, but almost never listen to. It's very >grainy and crunchy and analog. Years ahead of Bruce's recent noise-by-numbers >releases if you ask me. It still sounds like Boyd Rice / NON to me. But then I like NON ... I think Pre>He has more to do with Dome than Bruce's later stuff. Mind you, have a listen to Pre>He and then the last two tracks of HSO's Matching Crosses. Enduring themes, methinks... Craig. == - ---------------------------- Craig Grannell-------------- www: SNUB.COMMUNICATIONS - http://www.snub.dircon.co.uk Wireviews - http://www.snub.dircon.co.uk/wirehome.html - ---------------------------- cngrannell@yahoo.com ------- "Creativity is the highest civilising faculty - Ben Okri" - --------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of idealcopy-digest V1 #187 *******************************