Vital Weekly 47 Week 34 Number 47 NOISE-MAKER'S FIFES -CRUELTY HAS A HUMAN HEART/ MARUMARES (CD by Obuh Records) Already the third CD from this belgium band in less then a year. Their first one was most promising, but the second one was a bit too fragmentaric for me. This new one is a continuum from their first one: the tracks are long, slowly evolving drones of sound in which intruments get a chance to grow. In case you still didn't know, NMF playa kind of modern musique concrete with as their strong ancestors bands like PGR, Organum or the work of christoph Heemann. A kind of noisy ambient, or quiete industrial (too mention some contradictions). (FdW) Address: Obuh Records -P.O.Box 338 -20-950 Lublin 1 -Poland MASONNA -INNER MIND MYSTIQUE (CD by Relapse) As you may know Masonna is one Japans leading industrial noise makers. His performances are intense, where Mr. Masonna jumps around, hits the highly amplified objects along with equally pitched vocals. The intensity from his performances comes well off on CD. Masonna manages to keep his tracks short and powerful. As this CD clocks in under 39 minutes it can keep your full attention. Play utterly loud is my suggestion. BRIGHTER DEATH NOW -INNERWAR (CD by Relapse) BDN is basically the guy that runs the Cold Meat Industry, and probably one of the oldest bands still active in 'industrial' music. The music is centered around deep, rumbling synths, filled in with rhythm pulses. Each track is then made with distorted vocals, and/or snippets from television. In a way I reminded of the old Ramleh stuff, well before they discovered the six string instrument. A fine, old school industrial, work. PICA- THE DOCTORS ATE THE EVIDENCE (CD by Relapse) Another aspect of industrial music is represented by Pica, the rhythmical aspect. They play with tape-loops of found sound to which electronic distortion is added. Some of the tracks remain to short and fragmentary. This kind of music should get it chance to develop, the listener should get the groove of it. Nevertheless in terms of musical variety, this is the one that is most varied. (FdW) Address: UNKNOWN PUBLIC -UP07-THE NETHERLANDS CONNECTION The curators of Unknown Public become more adept at compiling their products with each issue. This, their latest is a presentation of the Dutch music scene, which, not surprisingly, is represented by more than the indigenes. It starts with Kettlebirds, a slightly violent track depicting the end of Autumn. This is followed by Jaap Blonk's rendition of a poem by Hugo Ball, which sounds remarkably like two nervous chickens approaching the end of time. Jon Rose, prankster and violinist, presents two humorous excerpts from the Perks CD which I had heard in it's entirety only a few days before UPO7 clunked into my postbox. There are a few contributions by some acoustic ensembles, some playoff paper and some improvise on themes. However the next highlight on this CD was submitted by The Ex & Guests... they contributed two short tracks, the first of which features a kalimba (I fink) and is as close to extraterrestrial boogie music as I have heard for a while. A couple more items of joy: Le Sacre du Moment by Horst Rickels is a reinterpretation of Igor's Spring Ritual. I am a huge fan of Mr Stravinsky's stuff, especially the work he composed before he became scared of dying and turned Christian. This track is probably my fave of the lot, although La Tour Qui Chant by Maurice Horsthuis comes a close second. It is a moving piece played by the Amsterdam Drama Orchestra and was written to commemorate the violent death of a 17 year old girl. Exquisite. Then there is the usual Scratchpad feature which showcases compositions of 60 seconds or shorter. All very agreeable except for the piece by Martyn Bates which is a pome by Jimmy Joyce set against a minimal backdrop. Sadly it comes off as a very poor copy of Sydney Barrett's earlier interpretation of Golden Hair, which for me was the beginning and end of James Joyce cover versions for this century. Last track is provided by John Adams -it is a hurtling delirious piece performed by the Netherlands Wind Ensemble and it inspired my two year old daughter to pirouette wildly until she fell over and banged her head on a table. ( Could I sue the composer for this if I lived in America, I wonder ?) The editor reaches the conclusion that there may well be a Dutch way of doing thing despite the fact that there does not seem to be a specific sound peculiar to Holland...maybe it does have something to do with the broad-minded approach of the patrons behind Dutch culture and the fact that Amsterdam in particular has become such a cultural melting pot thanks to the tolerance of these purveyors of more sinful things than just cheese On clogs. (RS) Address: BEEQUEEN -MUSIC FOR THE HEAD BALLET (CD on ISOMORPHIC) Music for the Head Ballet is extremely slow dance music which slowly and hypnotically undulates out of the speakers like a softly swaying snake. This CD is filled with three tracks... my favorites were the first 'Days That Never Were' and the third 'White Feather On A Dish, Used To Erect The Pyramids' (whatever that may mean). Constructed from purely synthesised sounds, instead of from their artillery of unusual resonant objects, this music comes across as less confrontational and more internally consistent than a lot of their previous stuff. Beequeen is comprised of F. De Waard and F. Kinkelaar, both residents of Holland, who have been working together for about eight years and who have in this time produced 4 full-length CDs and a bunch of obscure limited editions on various media. I fell asleep the first time I played the head ballet but subsequent listening mellowed me out a little less and I was able to float on the musical substance as it were. The closest I've heard to this has been released on Instinct Ambient and was similarly as gentle as eiderdown. Should come with the usual warning re: not operating machinery while this is playing etc. Great as a night loop too. (MP) Address: MIKE AND RICH -MR GAMES-EXPERT KNOB TWIDDLERS (CD on Rephlex) Wiggle your hips, shake your lips, smack your teeth and supplicate your lugs with an aural journey into the joyful world of Mike Paradinas and Richard James, two of the most vibrant and bright young things in contemporary music, who obviously had a load of fun and made a CD at the same time. If ever there was a CD that smiled, it's this one. Based on an array of tumescent easy listening sounds and samples and some excellent drum 'n tambourine programming, it comes across as some kind of modern musical hybrid which becomes more ridiculous the more you listen to it. It starts out, as most CDs do, with a couple of very strong tracks designed to lure in the punters and then it slowly bends down, puts it's head between it's legs and lets rip with some of the most dung-in-cheek retromuzak I think I have ever heard. If it's irreverence you're after, then hesitate no more. If you like death and pestilence and stuff then do yourself s favour...get hold of this and cheer up. fer chrissakes. (MP) Vital Weekly is published by Frans de Waard and submitted for free to anybody with an e-mail address. If you don't wish to receive this, then let us know. Any feedback is welcome . Forward to your allies. Snail mail: Frans de Waard -P.O. Box 11453 -1001 GL Amsterdam -The Netherlands All written by Frans de Waard (FdW) and The Square Root Of Sub (MP) visit us in Amsterdam or in Xyberspace Staalplaat's shop: Staalkade 6 -Amsterdam