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Recent Faves from the WFMU Record Library
February 2003

Reviewed by Music/Program Director Brian Turner




Saint of Killers / Saint of Killers (Edgetone)
Forget the nuevo-metal, krautdrone, acid-folk revival- what have you; Hate Jazz is where it is at, and we haven't had a generous enough helping of it since Last Exit was in its most raging 80s form, unless you count the too-sporadic performances from upstate NY's Borbetomagus (picture Brotzmann having eaten Ayler and locking big ass sax bells with his twin while a feedback-crazed guitarist goes ape). Here is the new CD from the west coast trio known as Saint of Killers, and holy hell, it's truly amazing. Basically made up of one guitar and one set of drums instrument-wise, one might wonder the big fuss is about (or why it's being called jazz let alone death-jazz), but add to the mix one woman named Jesse Quatro, who would be extremely powerful going tete-a-tete with Eye, Diamanda Galas, or fronting Meshuggah for that matter (all three of whom the Saint of Killers claim as influences) and you'll see/hear the picture more clearly. "Soft Targets", the live closer of the record, shreds completely through 10 minutes of paralyzing improv/metal mayhem, using its stops and quiet spaces to as stunning effect as the outburts/freakouts and pure sheets of screech laid down by Jesse.

EDAN THE DJ / Fast Rap (Edan)
Loving the concept of slapping your own name on top of a mix tape? Barry 7 and David Holmes just did it, presenting a compilation of their favorite weird obscurities from their crates, and now the excellent MC Edan turns DJ with this collection of some great hip-hop chestnuts from the past. Big Daddy Kane's "Warm It Up Kane", Organized Konfusion's "Prisoners of War" and especially the one-two punch of the Dismasters' "Black and Proud" into Black Rock & Ron's "Stop the World" all present a totally powerhouse comp here. Edan doesn't quite mash up, scratch, or do anything besides play the tracks back to back, but the segues make good sense and the choices are CHOICE. I still woulda called it "Various Artists: Edan Presents Fast Rap" but that's a minor beef.

SUN O))) / White One (Southern Lord)
This is the third record from low end guitar feedback worshippers Stephen O'Malley (also ex-Burning Witch and currently in both Khanate and the Lotus Eaters with James Plotkin), and Greg Anderson, whose clear allegiances lie in high volume, and, like fellow loud droners from Japan Boris, there is a real torch being carried lit by the band Earth (who still play out). Last time out, Sunn o))) (named for their amp of choice), brought aboard Masami Akita (aka Merzbow) who really blew out the old stereo speakers, but this time things are (while still very loud) different. "My Wall" starts off with a doom-tinged 25 minute rumble with an Olde-English-accented bard reading a crazed sermon like some kind of amped up David Tibet. Lo and behold, it's none other than Julian Cope, who's a big Sunn o))) fan! Another guest is Joe Preston (ex-Melvins, currently the man known as the Thrones), and, well, any record with Joe Preston is going to kill.


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