It seems that the adventurous cabal of bands in and around Providence -- the
Eyesores, the Amoebic Ensemble, V. Majestic, the Panic Band, and Septimania,
among many others -- is as integral to the local music scene as hardcore and
the blues. We await more enjoyable collaborations from them.
Septimania: Welcome to Septimania (Cottage)
OK, now here's something to reckon with. Jonathan Thomas of the Panic
Band and Amoebic Ensemble joining together with folks from Plymouth Rock, V.
Majestic, and others for a cacophonous journey through experimental sound.
Thomas calls it a "series of collaborations, or a solo record for 32 players,"
which I think is appropriate, given the project's rather improvisational
nature. Thomas himself is a mischievous percussionist, banging on drums, cans,
kitchenware, or any other such rhythmic item, and he encourages the same
mischief from his friends. "Can of Pebbles" sounds cockeyed, like Captain
Beefheart crossed with early Grateful Dead. "Seven Wonders," a tune featuring
Plymouth Rock, Angel Dean, and Thomas, comes off like an unrehearsed cabaret
ensemble drunk on absinthe. Guy Benoit does his best Al Hirt impression on
"Bali Hoo," where he's joined by Frank Difficult, Shawn Wallace, and Thomas.
And "Tons of Light" pivots on Alec Redfearn's accordion, Willie Klein's
frolicking guitar, and a bunch of musically open-minded friends. Do you get
some sense of the capriciousness, fun, and fiendish pleasure you can have at
the hands of Septimania?
The Iditarod: The Ghost, the Elf, the Cat, and the Angel (Blue
Sanct)
With influences as diverse as British folk music of the '60s (Fairport, Nick
Drake, the Incredible String Band) and lo-fi indie rock (Palace, Cat Power) of
the '90s, the Iditarod has always been an exhilarating and compelling listen.
And so it is with The Ghost, the Elf, the Cat, and the Angel, the band's
third disc. For the most part, the album is a collection of minimalist acoustic
music, hinging on Carin Wagner's eggshell delicate vocals, Jeffrey Alexander's
stringed instruments, and Matt Everett's weepy violin. Songs like the
seven-minute-plus "Afternoons Like This Are Hard to Come By" and "Let No Man
Steal Your Time" are unfathomably sad and profoundly melancholic, in the
tradition of the ancient folk music of the UK. On the other hand, there's a
healthy helping of noise here that gives the disc a pre-psychedelic quality.
Songs like the deeply percussive "Cycle Circle" and the equally menacing "Raga
(in D#)" add an unpredictable dimension that keep the listening experience
off-balance, not to mention edgy.
Recorded with Jesse Poe this past spring in Virginia and integrated with some
home music experiments, The Ghost, the Elf, the Cat, and the Angel is an
achievement that has had international repercussions. The band, along with a
few likeminded friends, recently embarked on a traveling eccentric folk
carnival for a few weeks of kaleidoscopic troubadourian bliss with great
success. No, the sound isn't for everyone, but for those of you looking into
the darker corners of acoustic music for a little under-the-radar titillation
you would do well to find your way to this gem.
Century Project: Balanced (Self-released)
There's a sunshine brightness in the shadows of Century Project's debut CD,
Balanced, a disc whose title might have something to do with the equal
parts darkness and light you get when you listen in. The Mystic, Connecticut
quartet, featuring Todd and Shawn Fake, Tim Grimes, and Dawn Salerno, have made
an accomplished debut, merging a '60s pop sound with shades of a more modern
4AD hue. The best songs, like "Arise" and the pop noise of "Seny y Rauxa,"
which has a My Bloody Valentine-meets-Petula Clark feel, combine a variety of
disparate influences over clear and solid melodies. Todd Fake plays a nice
guitar, and Salerno has a sweet-sounding voice, and when they sing together, as
they do on songs like "Tears That Shine," they create a Mamas and the Papas
sort of overdubbed hippie harmony vibe. Good stuff. The recording, which was
done by the band, along with the writing and producing, needs a little work. (A
little more clarity on the vocals would have made these tracks really pop.)
Still, I dare not quibble. This is a real achievement, one that pop fans
everywhere will find surprisingly strong.
Kari Tieger: En Francais sil te plait (Self-released)
Never judge a CD by its jacket, or so the saying goes. Kari Tieger's CD comes
in with a stark, slightly haunting photograph of the artist with a black lace
dress on and a rose in hand, her hair all a-curled. Beyond her blondeness, the
photo looks almost gothic, something you might see over a fireplace in a
Newport mansion. The music, however, is a different story. While it sounds as
unique for this area as the photo is stark, En Francais sil te plait is
an album full of French love songs. And, like the title says, it's in French,
if you please.
Taking her cues from Frenchies like Edith Piaf and Serge Gainsbourg (without
the hip chic), Tieger's album recalls the cobblestone sidewalks and
cafés of gay Paree, especially tunes like "L'imagination d'une malade"
("Imagination When Sick") and the sprightly "Suite Royale: Lancelot" ("Royal
Suite: Lancelot"). There are all kinds of styles here, from pop to classical,
but for the most part, Tieger's buried in quintessentially French musical
traditions. The instrumental accompaniment is also impressive. Led by Tieger on
keys, guitarist Paul Gabriel, and cellist Barbara Zdravesky, there are all
sorts of musical surprises, from mariachi guitar, horns, and pennywhistles to
the theremin, all of which make listening to Tieger's devilishly franco
concoctions wholly unpredictable.
Various Artists: The Amos House Collection, Volume II (Wishing
Tree)
Though Wheat is the only local entity I see represented here, I feel compelled
to write about this collection, mostly because the guys over at Wishing Tree
Records in Warren deserve huge props for pulling this project all together. It
includes some of the most dazzling names in indie pop, including Elf Power,
Gentle Waves (a Belle & Sebastian offshoot), Spoon and Elliott Smith, plus
a bunch of other really excellent acts. The disc begins with Wheat and Spoon,
the latter weighing in with the excellent "Everything Hits at Once (Remix for
Discos)." Other key tracks include Elf Power's massive "Free Will and
Testament," Smith's "Bottle Up & Explode (Early Version)," and Aden's "The
Red Door." But there are no weak songs here, which is unusual and a real coup
for a benefit album of this nature.
This is the second album in a compilation series designed to benefit Amos
House in Providence, a non-profit charity organization dedicated to providing
direct support for people in need. Proceeds from the sale of this disc go
directly to Amos House.
WANDERING EYE. You can catch Zox (www.mp3.com/zox) twice this
weekend: with Rocket (www.instantmayhem.com) tonight (the 4th) at the
Met Cafe, and on Friday at Providence College's Peterson Recreational Center
opening for Dispatch. Zox will be on at 8 p.m. On Friday at the Ocean Mist, you
can catch the Jason Colonies Band with the inimitably named Funk
Nugget as opening act. The Mist is also the scene of a big show by the
Big Nasty on Saturday. Delta Clutch plays the Green Room on Friday.
The action begins at 9:30 sharp with Rhode Island transplants Four-Sided
Letter, then hometown boys Mona at 10:15, special guests from
Dublin, Mr. North at 11:15, and Delta Clutch at 12:15. Meanwhile, Mike
Dinallo's Hillbilly Voodoo hits AS220, which makes Friday an awesome
night to hit the streets.
E-mail me with music news at big.daddy1@cox.net.
Issue Date: April 5 - 11, 2002
