artstrike 1 9 9 0 - PhotoStatic Magazine - Detritus

N O T R E P R O D U C T I O N Retrofuturism Nº10
PA 19101 — The first word is the apt one in the title:
these two works, each occupying a side of the tape,
are virtually indistinguishable. Grindingly monotonous,
“Many Sparrows” lives mainly in the low register, and
is atmospheric I suppose—as if you were sharing space
with a large power generator. It simply ends when the
tape runs out. “The Lost Pleasures” has a barely different
mood inasmuch as it features the slow tolling of a
bell in the distance. I had the opportunity to see Hudak
perform at the Sonic Turmoil festival in Pittsburgh; in
fairness, his live music is much superior in energy and
interest; my guess is that these cassettes fail to document
what Hudak has available as a musician. —ld
Onanathra by Deathranch. C60–9 tracks. Write:
Skidloy, 1473 Redwood Dr, Santa Cruz CA 95060
— This deliciously dark opus from Deathranch spotlights
reverb tone drones and loops, mercilessly packed
into the mix like so many squirming earthworms. Unfortunately,
individual songs become harder to distinguish
as the tape rolls on, but this has got to be the
heaviest sonic turgidity since Current 93. Anyone
wearing more than 50% black clothing while reading
this should buy without question. —pn
Our Television World by Mike Shores, Bill Shores,
and Tim Clifford. C90–20 tracks. Eyes Electric Studios,
P.O. Box 901, Allston MA 02134 — This is a
long sound collage using the television as source
material. Collage isn’t really the best word for most of
these pieces, however, as many simply take peculiar
source material and excerpt it more than they affect
it. In a sense this is a documentary of sorts—a kind of
scrap book—which pulls examples from the phenom-
enon being scrutinized for use as evidence. The pieces
which are manipulated (“Yes Miss Landers” is a good
example) mostly repeat the funny parts until they’re
no longer funny. The only really good work on this
cassette is the one and a half minute long “Jason Revs
Up” which overlaps and intercuts the voice of an irate
black man so that there are not only exciting rhythms
set up, but also a kind of melody in multi-part harmony
takes over near the end. An excellent piece,
and definitely out of step with what surrounds it. —ld
Sound of Pig Music, %Al Margolis, P.O. Box
150022, Van Brunt Station, Brooklyn NY
11215 — This is certainly one of the most prolific of
the “home tapers” labels that exists, with over 260
releases to date. It is probly guilty of releasing too
much work: some of it gets to be samey after awhile,
and the package design is rather shoddy (not that this
latter is too important, but at the same time it is nice to
see evidence of more care in projects such as these.)
#186: Beatmusik by Gen Ken. C60–11 tracks. —
Style of demented disco features synthy rhythm textures,
distant vocals and raspy melodics. You could
dance to this, if you had to.
#221: Tunnel by XTSW. C60. — Scritchy and grindy,
these big-sounding works skirt overload again and
again; Tunnel, the title, is suggestive of having to pass
through b to get from a to c—that b being rather
dark and perhaps foreboding, like the music on this
tape. Ringing feedbacky resonances composed of
vocals, cymbals, and tape effects are the featured
sounds which are arranged in densely spatial and
atmospheric patterns. The whole thing rolls down the
road like a car needing an oil change.
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