RECENT FAVES FROM THE RECORD LIBRARY - April 2002


Reviewed by Music/Program Director Brian Turner




VARIOUS The Best Bootlegs in the World Ever (NL)
So, when the Evolution Control Committee put out the Public Enemy vocal overlay on Herb Alpert's "Whipped Cream", you can bet your butt it got played here every six minutes or so, as did the incredible not-so-authorized juxtaposition of the Strokes and C. Aguilera's "Genie In the Bottle" (even covered by the Hoof N Mouth Sinfonia the last night of the marathon with Pseu Braun on vocals...!). Well, both of those tracks are included on this mysterious (we think from the UK) compilation, with other mind-blowers: Salt N' Pepa's "Push It" meets the Stooges' "No Fun", Destiny's Child's "Booty-licious" in synch perfectly with "Smells Like Teen Spirit", (Destiny's Child up against the Dead Kennnedys too!), and a genius blend of Missy E's "One Minute Man" and the Cure's "Love Cats" (complete with Ludacris babble). Ridiculous and essential.

AGAINST ME Regret (The Musical) (Against Me)
Like some kind of evil version of John Schnall's wonderous Midnight Matinee, Against Me (the trio of Stunt Rock, Jonathan Fuerst, and Willie Loman) produce this "musical" akin to a Negativland-like chronicle of personality disorder. Herein, clattery distorted beats punctuate anguished clips of dialogues excerpted from various sources (lots of Peter Falk yelling at Gena Rowlands from the ulcer-inducing Cassavettes flick "Woman Under the Influence", as well as various Nicholson outbursts). It's not all feel-bad though, there's some hilarious songtitles: "Wow, a New Release By My Favorite IDM Producer, Has It Been Two Weeks?", "I'm Gonna Fade This Track Out Just Like You Did Our Relationship" and "Failed Indie Rocker Gives Computers a Whirl."

SHAR Pop Music (Outer Realm)
Some wild and punked up improvisations and compositions courtesy the trio of Trixa Arnold, Ilja Komarov (of Estonia's Ne Zhdali) and Judy Dunaway, who, uh, I guess we could call a balloonist? Yep, she performs music via balloons, rubbed in such a precise way with such incredible results that she could probably have gone up against Albert Ayler (or at least vocal phenomenon Jaap Blonk these days, now THAT would be awesome). Here, Dunaway scrabbles along with bass, Egyptian fiddle, and percussion.

LOL COXHILL Spectral Soprano (Emanem)
What can be said about a fellow who has played with this array of people: Rufus Thomas, AMM, Kevin Ayers, the Damned, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Steve Beresford, Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, and (!) Martha Reeves and the Vandellas? It shows a pretty amazing grasp of a musical universe, that's for certain. Playing tenor and soprano sax since his English childhood in 1947, Coxhill has dived headfirst into a world of experimentation and innovation (both on sax and vocally) since his early pub days playing Tristano and Charlie Parker numbers. This overview from 1954-1999 (with unfortunately a dysfunctional 2nd CD on our version!) gives some great snapshots of Coxill both solo and interacting with everyone under the sun: electronicist Paul Schutze, giant ensembles like the London Improvisors Orchestra and small ones like his subway-outfit Birdyak, and even blurting away submerged in a swimming pool. Concrete, sound poetry, R&B, and free jazz all converge in the mind of the great Mr. C.


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