1 "A Word of Vice": a 40 sec. intro with nympho dialogue. Now, I am no
prude, but this is just the first of what I consider fairly tacky sexual
sound bites.
2 "B Monkey": This is a cool & jazzy slow bop groover with soulful sax.
Midway through an electrical buzz straight outta Dr. Frankenstein's
laboratory enters the mix. I've forgiven/forgotten track 1.
3 "Dubble": Pretty straightforward dub reggae number. The melody reminds me
of a tune from that great Shanachie release, _Peeni Waali._ Weak.
4 "King Ashabanapal PT1": Nice vocal cut-ups with ambient washes open,
working into a grinding beat. Things start out great. But I'm lost by the
half and double time breakdowns and extended breaks. This beat in
triplicate annoys the shit out of me.
5 "The Deep": The intro opens like an Orb cut then goes into a
9lazy9-sounding funky, skipping beat (which again undergoes tempo changes
-- ARGH!). Horns pop into the mix and the tune works out into something
sounding like something off _Throbing Pouch_. Good enough.
6 "King Ashabanapal PT2": A further work out or track 4. More tempo shifts.
Sounds like great traffic jam music.
7 "Michael's Little Friend": A radio station flip-through stops on a
bleeping frequency that's overtaken by a woman telling me my CD will not
faithfully reproduce track 7. "Please press pause and try again." Ahem.
8 "White Slave": A sleazy lounge groove with female spoken dialogue opens,
fading into a smoky alto sax (?) and congas, shaker and bass. This is what
I hoping for more of. Is that a tuba underneath? This track ends way too
quick.
9 "Poseathon": Submarine sounds open. A hip hop beat kicks in. I'm told I'm
being taken downstairs, where "nude and lingerie-clad girls are having a
pose-a-thon." Oh my. This track also has a 9lazy9 feel to it. (BTW: I loved
_Paradise Blown_ but wasn't particularly smitten by _Electric Lazyland_.)
Another sexually-degrading female sound bite, which I won't repeat. I guess
these snippets bug me so bad because they're taken totally out of context
and lack any qualification.
10 "Wicked, Cruel Nasty and Bad": Back on track with a very _Throbbing
Pouch_-like blunted patchwork of sampled and electronic sounds.
11 "Pork Albumen": A nice ambient dub excursion. Could pass for Terre
Thaemlitz or even Larry Heard. Way too short.
12 "The Softest Thing in the World": Keeps the ambient dubbish vibe. An
Irresistible Force-like intro, into a Bill Laswell beat, some Monk piano
stabs, electronic noodling. Good, but derivative as hell.
13 "Something Wonderful": Way jammy 'verbed out madness. Why can't it all
be this good!?!!?
14 "Tiny Kangaroo Dolphin (from Hell)": Bells in the distance. Chimes
ringing nearby. Lasting a total of 1:15. I could've stood some more.
15 "Long Road": "It's a long road, there's no turning back." Wind breezes
through the mix. Very dreamy. I could fall asleep to this track.
The fact that this CD ends on a positive note + the tasty bits makes me
give it an overall positive review. But I gotta admit, it leaves a bit of
an aftertaste.
Peace, pete.
(szymczak@edge.net)