Reviews
ALT.FOLK
ABERFELDY, KING CREOSOTE AND MY LATEST NOVEL Triptych@St Brides Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 30 Apr 0000
These are three of Scotland's finest folky pop acts but this evening turns out to be more robust fun than this triumvirate's recorded output might suggest - with amps cranked up a smidgeon - although a gentleness of spirit shines thr0ugh. My Latest Novel have just signed a deal and are on the rise, rightly so as the geeky gang knock out an intelligent racket which manages to blend the orchestral pop of Belle and Sebastian with the focussed dronerock of My Bloody Valentine. No mean feat. The ever-wonderful King Creosote takes this as a challenge and beefs up his band accordingly, his set being transformed from genius folk nuggets to big sweeping panoramas of wonky-noised. guitar-laced loveliness. Aberfeldy also rise to the occasion. with a steely core to their Incredible String Band shuffle that is as welcome as their harmonies are sweet. Loud is the new quiet. and a good thing too. (Doug Johnstone)
EXPERIMENTAL KARLHEINZ STOOKHAUSEN Triptych@Tramway, Glasgow, Wed 27 Apr 000
‘Dear Iisteners.‘ booms the avuncular seventysomething in the Our Man In Havana suit after explaining how to listen to his music. “Now I wish you a very magic trip.' Padding offstage like a big. cuddly polar bear cutting a beatific dash, legendary German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen prepares to
'perform' Wednesday Greeting and Wednesday Farewell, two pieces from his massive 30-hour Li‘cht Cycle of works for each day of the week. Lights out. eyes closed is how the great man likes it. as. in Wednesday Greeting. little depth charges of sensurround sound squiggles zap through space and time. Wednesday Farewell is a collaged safari of aural exotica recorded in situ on pure shores across the globe. Arrivals and departures from station to station conjure up a chirrupingly zenned out National Geographic of the mind. no passport required. (Neil Cooper)
EXPERIMENTAL
NOISEN
The Subway, Edinburgh,
Mon 18 Apr 0000
The welter of avant garde activities emanating from offshoots of arch dirgemongers Giant Tank has Sired a real Edinburgh underground. with the Subway its unlikely spiritual CBGBs. A network of artists. led by Usurper's whispering assaults on ‘disabled instruments'. and including sinewave avatar CK Dexter Haven and Nimrod 33's anti-turntablism, have all shared bills here.
N0isen is the nearest this scene has to a supergroup. pooling as it does the collective resources of Usurper. Wounded Knee and Shareholder. As U8urper shake. rattle and roll their usual box of tricks. a low key underscore of guitar and electronics adds shape. texture and rhythm enough to give Noisen the depth of veteran improv troupe AMM if they were dragged into the 21st century and force fed Sonic Youth at their most waywardly leftfield.
With such abandon on offer, one wonders why the plethOra of heavily subsidised ‘experimental' music festivals that have mushroomed in Scotland since Le Weekend paved the way in Stirling almost a decade ago aren't acknowledging what's going on in their own back yard. More fool them because. as big a thrill as some (by no means all) of the international artists have been at such events. Noisen‘s twisted chimes tonight made for one of the most significant avant garde events of the year. (Neil Cooper)
ROCK THE NATIONAL Barfly, Glasgow, Sat 14 May
The National are currently enjoying a couple of days off by the ocean in the south of France. Such are the trials and tribulations of a touring rock band. But it hasn’t always been fine Bordeaux by the sea for the five piece, comprising two sets of brothers; twins Aaron (guitar/bass) and Bryce Dessner (guitar); Scott (guitar/bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums), and childhood friend Matt Berninger (vocals). Originally hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, they relocated to the slightly more bohemian confines of New York, creating their own label to release their first two albums. But the hard work and tenacity seems to be paying off, with underground stirrings and critical acclaim from the wonderfully titled previous album Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers resulting in them being signed to Beggars Banquet for the current release Alligator.
But far from resembling a snapping, lumbering monster the title might suggest, this collection of 13 tracks is accomplished and assured, richly textured in songwriting fraught or flitting, set to layers of chiming, resonant guitar both lush and sparse. Immediate comparisons don’t do this band justice (nor any band worth its salt), but the music at times evokes the hurt of Tindersticks, the menace of Velvet Underground, the joyful weariness of American Music Club, and even the reckless ache of Arab Strap (‘Karen, put me in a chair, fuck me and make me a drink,’ singer Matt Berninger drawls like Aidan Moffatt’s estranged brother in ‘Karen’.
Speaking of brothers, surely it’s a doubly double-edged sword to have two sets in the one band. ‘I think it balances it out a bit,’ Berninger offers. ‘Luckily, they’re all very cool, mature people. I’m usually the biggest pain in the arse’.
So, I guess punters can’t look forward to double the Gallagher hi-jinx on stage? ‘Who knows? Three more weeks in a van together and we could have complete melt down,’ he laughs. ‘Maybe we should fight more often. It makes good press.’
Let’s hope for fewer relaxing breaks in the south of France before they head our way then. (Jayson Argall)
JAZZ ENRIOO RAVA OUINTET CCA, Glasgow, Sat 14 May
In a much-quoted tribute in the International Herald Tribune, trombonist and writer M ke Z‘.'.‘B’ '“ made the bold assertion that ‘contemporary Italian jazz can be said to have begun with Enrico Rava'. Given the diversity and feCUndity of the Italian jazz scene. that is a big claim. but t s one the trumpeter has a fair claim to justifying.
‘I think I started a lot of things in Italy because I was the first Italian guy to go to New Yom cam " 1967. and stay there and play with American musicians.' he recalled last year. 'I was the ‘rst one record for an international label. the first one ever to have a big interView in Downbeat. Be‘ore me there was no focus on that — no one knew that there were Italian jazz muSiCians.’
Rava has also launched a lot of young muSicians through his various bands. Once briefly nvoncn in the free jazz scene with the likes of Steve Lacy and Roswell Rudd. he prefers a more structures approach in his muSic these days. as eVidenced by last year's Easy Liwng, his most recent recording for ECM.
‘What I like today is mUSlC with form. tempo. harmony and melody. and I like to have the l'BBDD'“ to break the rules if I feel like it. If I don't feel like it. I like to respect the rules. I think it's the best record I ever made. Everybody on the record sounds beautiful. the sesson was so easy. so relaxeri. no drama. no problems. Everybody was very much into the muSic.'
Rava's current quartet includes Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Andrea Pozza (piano). Rosario Bonaccorse (bass) and Roberto Gatto (drums). and should be another fine advertisement for fl‘a'. Italian jazz scene. (Kenny Mathieson)
‘2~?$ Val. ’27.”: THE LIST 71