1. The Overture

[random sample hold pinched cycles of faux bagpipes and tweeting electro-birds circling overhead - wooden branches of electric trees cracking in the wind – particles of sunlight brushing against insistent green]

2. God Bless the Miners

[tolling of industrial bells calling the laborers to work – action and time passes unnoticed – the divine intrudes on the consciousness and interferes with work – labor is the opiate of the Masses]

3. Enola Gay

[the hum of summer – the hum of engines – the hum of a tune – signs of summer – signs of engines – whistlestop]

4. Cuckoo to You

[electric beak and steel perch – silver forest and aluminum leaves – twist and turn and twist again]

5. Belles I

[on the back porch - moonrise]

6. Remnants

[I heard it – so did you – something this way comes – circus of freaks in buses – reality Ruth! – epileptic, schizophrenic manic depressive]

7. Jungle Birds

[path and undergrowth – signs of life – hidden safely – observant eyes – who has seen the wind – tendrils and claws – shake, rattle and roil]

8. Days Left

[direction to go – fork in the road – journey ahead – a ringing in my head – only my hair dresser knows for sure – sunlight draws a circle in my eyes – heat and haze and heart – hour glass and horticulture works the same ground as my hands]

9. Organ Song part I

[the body electric sings – sound the portals open – conversation ensues – communication seems possible – transmission is desired]

10. Belles II

[metal skirts of purest iron – brazen tassels swing and sway as they walk – they are the belles of the ball]

11. My Guitar

[repetition is the mother of learning – wisdom is the fountain of life – living provides examples of consequence – stay on the path!]

12. BOX

[precious fragility – the imposition of time and demand – attention dwells – think outside – a breath of fresh air? – six sides are enough]

13. One for Nick

[the saint? – the devil? – why only one? – traumatize and fantasize a willing reality – no chance for regrets – one foot in front of the other]

14. I Slept Through Vespers

[black and white – recrimination – somnambulant sisters – ring of cloth, ring of bells]

1. Breast Eggplant [angry mosquito drums circling overhead – ring of positron whistles parting your follicles and foibles – Ponce de Leon in a grass skirt doing the hula with the native girls hoping for a snog] 2. Camera Up Uranus [rummaging around the house trying to find it – throw the cushions aside – push the furniture again the wall – no sign – blood pounding at the temples – where the (h) (e) double hockey stick is it?!!! – maybe under the bed? – nope – under the fridge? – nope again – under the cat? – nope nope again – might as well give up] 3. GMO’s Meet PMS [dance you moron! – she’s still not interested – wail and flail – speak in tongues – jabber and gabber – twitch and switch – pay and pray – she still not interested] 4. I’m not Perfect [grovel and grind in the dust – wriggle and writhe – eat dirt maggot!!! – stop making excuses! – try harder! – no one gets anywhere by quitting! – whine you little fanboy – nobody’s impressed] 5. Plastic Loves Global Warming [artificial – repetitive – a sore spot] 6. Buddha & The Blueberry Wizard [stuck in the mud – avatar in chains – mind over matter – wizards in treacle – does this mean anything? – I like blueberry muffins] 7. Error And Error [portrait of a young man – pulse and pound – blood and brain – swish and wash – all lost in repetition – warts and all] 8. Mummy Crazy [mummy or mommy – fixation – Freud and Oedipus dancing a jig]

A Japanese progressive rock duo (Satoshi Kobayashi – bass; Kazumi Suzuki – flute) with the help of supporting musicians (two guitars, keyboards, and drums) to fill out the ensemble. This is their second album. All the Prog-rock elements are here: heavy riffing, lots of solos, the frequent change of timbre and tempo within tracks. There’s even the de riguer King Crimson-flavored mellotron epic (Tautology). The presence of the flute as solo instrument certainly sets the sound apart and all musicians play well. But hasn’t this all been done before? Of course, but when you like something there’s no reason why you shouldn’t keep on doing it and fans of this genre will not be disappointed. Lots of good solos, interesting melodies and attention to changes in sound and feel drive each track. On the whole this isn’t really on the spacey side of things although there are elements of it every once in a while, but come on, this is Prog-rock after all. The tracks exhibit a most decided Spanish flavor (made prominent by the guitar work, reminding me at times of Al DiMeola’s solo work and his work in Return to Forever) which is odd but not necessarily bad. Just different. Jazz elements make their appearance here and there, like on track three (Lethe), with the inclusion of a trumpet by guest musician Mitsuo who also plays electric guitar. Like I said, there’s spice here and there and that just makes the dish that much more tasty. The rhythm section keeps everything moving nicely with interesting changes so you don’t get bored. High marks for musicianship and composition. Worth more than one listen at least if you like good solos and interesting compositions.

boris hauf – clark (CDR)

1. SHE WAS A STATE TROOPER

solemn entrance by sharp noise braking the silence – electro-drone laying a bed of electric roses preparing us for ominous washes of vibratory silk

2. HIT ME WITH YOUR PET SHARK-

intertwining beats of wood and steel and skin – borg inplants squealing for attention

3. ANNIE, ARE YOU PUKING ON ELVIS?

naive rhythm – questioning bass – noisus interruptus

4. NON STOP FLIGHT

static entropy brings about electronic ripples of insect intelligences – factory floor dancing – cartwheels of delight and abandon – waiting in line with tinnitus and the awareness of electricity

5. LE CHIEN

do robotic dogs dream of electric cats? – fleas of discontent feeding off the static charge – burying the battery-powered bone – take a nap fido!

6. KEN DOLL IN THE WIND

wind tunnel reverberant plastic hair parted on the girl’s side sending messages of pain and embarrassment to the central core of being without member and less than needed flexibility – oversize the ambient wave for a well needed rest

7. YOUR AUNT'S TRIPE

heart and mind and stomach beat as one – the wonder of essential juices – dissolve! dissolve!

Released by a new US CDR label run by Kyle Wright of Ames, Iowa. The disc presents us with four tracks. I’ve been told that this isn’t as noisy as their previous releases.

1. "high-octane gnostic-praxic disturbances"

- deep percussive ringing tones over loop - swirling razor sharp static over deep percussive ringing tones - droney scary sounds, machine rhythms - mid-high frequency sonic overload

2. "when they awaken the consummate prescience"

- roiling washes of static drone punctuated with high freq shards of noise - scary effected voices - swelling, spacey old school reverb - electric hum and buzz

3. "through the variation of the lecherous combustion"

- high pitched electro-noise with perturbed low freq - shuddering metallic drone
- deep bass tones of rolling spectrum punctuated by sudden spasms of mid range frustration - tines of high freq cloudburst melting into uncertain fits and starts

4. "aggravated gift of alertness"

- shifting distorted feedback tones and percussive interruptions of spastic euphoria - reverberant searching voices - reticent imaginings crying for release
- rusted machines hiding damaged intelligences - a sudden quiet revealing structural underpinnings of hope