SOUNDTRACK: EFRIM MANUEL MENUCK-Plays “High Gospel” [CST078] (2011).
Efrim Manuel Menuck was a co-founder of Godspeed Your Black Emperor and the main force behind A Silver Mt. Zion. In some ways it seems odd that he would release a solo album, but I guess Silver Mt Zion is enough of a collective for him to want to do his own thing. Efrim has been singing a lot more on Silver Mt Zion records, and I find his voice to walk a fine line between interesting and annoying–well, not so much annoying as inappropriate to the music he makes. For this solo disc, though, there’s something different about the music that works well with his voice. There’s eight songs on the disc. Some of them are pretty much unlistenable, but others are really enjoyable. The opener “our lady of parc extension and her munificent sorrows” is 7 minutes long and has the kind of epic feel of his previous bands, but there’s a lot more keyboard (making cool space sounds). Meanwhile, “a 12-pt. program for keep on keepin’ on” is described as a “hauntingly processed field recordings and ominous tape-delayed sound-sculpture.” That’s true for the first minute or so, but after that it’s mostly just an unpleasant cacophony…that lasts nine minutes! And while it’s great that it was all done with analogue equipment, that doesn’t make it any more listenable.
“august four, year-of-our-lord blues” is a much more enjoyable instrumental, slow vibrated notes, a real western sound. Efrim sings again on “heavy calls & hospital blues” and his angsty, hesitant voice works very well on this piano ballad. “heaven’s engine is a dusty ol’ bellows ” is a 2 minute instrumental/introduction that sounds a lot like the guitar opening from Radiohead’s “Electioneering.” “kaddish for chesnutt” is a slow, mournful dirge. It’s quite moving. It’s 7 minutes long, and the length is saved by the second half where the chanted vocals bring the song back from the edge.
“chickadees’ roar pt. 2” is mostly feedback noises and squeaks. It’s less unpleasant than other instrumentals, but it’s not something you’d seek out. Although it does work as an introduction to the closer: “i am no longer a motherless child.” After about 2 minutes of dissonant introduction, the group begins singing an uplifting ending hymn.
So this boils down to a self-indulgent solo project, with a few tracks that are among his best. You can stream it here.
[READ: May 22, 2012] “Mrs Blue”
I really enjoyed Joshua Ferris’ first novel. So I thought I’d see what else he had written. He has a number stories published but most of them are unavailable for free reading at this time. Thanks to my JSTOR account I was able to read this one from The Iowa Review.
This was pretty confusing story–and since its one of his first, I don’t really know what else to compare it to in his work. There’s all kinds of disturbing images and as you delve more deeply into the story, the images turn more disturbing but in different ways.
It opens with a youngish boy being seduced by Mrs Blue, a teacher in his school. He warns her about the dangers of unprotected sex and she says that she’s the one who convinced the PTA to hire the guy who gave the lecture, so she knows all about it. He’s 13 and he keeps telling her he doesn’t want to (her locations of choice include under a railroad car and in a burned out building). Each paragraph or so is set off by a star, indicating a new section. So section 2 has the narrator and Gus (friend? brother?) go to the track where Mrs Blue runs laps. Gus walks his dog, Mr Yackley, while the narrator (whose name is Woodrow Williams) talk about Cole Porter and how she’s looking for a new “daddy.” (more…)
SOUNDTRACK: SONG OF THE SILENT LAND (2004).
This is a compilation from Constellation Records. It features mostly unreleased tracks and turns out to be a great sampler for both the fan of the label and the novice.
SOUNDTRACK: EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY-The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place (2003).
Explosions in the Sky play beautiful, lengthy almost cinematic instrumentals. They are primarily a guitar-drum band, (but they do add bass from time to time).
SOUNDTRACK: Living with Music: A Playlist by Joshua Ferris (New York Times September 19 2007).
While searching for Joshua Ferris (see below) I came across this playlist from The New York Times. While I don’t agree with everything on the list, indeed, I haven’t heard of about half of the songs, I was delighted by several of his selections: Neutral Milk Hotel, Pearl Jam, and of course, Godspeed! You Black Emperor. I also really enjoy the unusual Pink Floyd selection, too (Meddle being a favorite album of mine).
SOUNDTRACK: THEE SILVER MT. ZION ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA BAND-Thirteen Blues for Thirteen Moons [CST051] (2008).
I’ve enjoyed most of the output by (A/Thee) Silver Mt. Zion (Orchestra (& Tra-La-La Band)) over the years. So, I naturally picked up this one when it came out. And I’m torn by the record.
SOUNDTRACK: CARLA BOZULICH-Evangelista [CST041] (2007).
This record comes from the mighty 
She has a very strong voice, and sounds not unlike Diamanda Galas, meaning she can hit the high notes, and the powerful notes, and the screechy notes, and tends to be a bit scary from time to time. In the context of the Geraldine Fibbers, it was really an amazing thing to behold.
SOUNDTRACK: EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY-How Strange, Innocence (2005).
Explosions in the Sky is one of those instrumental bands that the kids are raving about these days. Bands have been doing instrumentals forever, really, but I guess about a decade or so ago, some bands started specializing in an all instrumental format. Bands like Scenic, Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emperor are probably the forefathers, although to be honest I can’t think of too too many more bands doing the style (aside from the Constellation Label in general). These bands work a great, atmospheric sound, usually building to a crescendo and pulling away before reaching the ultimate climax. This album is EITS’ first, recently reissued. There are some bands who hit their stride running on their first record, these usually seem to be bands that aren’t too complicated. Nothing wrong with them, in fact their debuts are often stellar, as if they were born playing their style. EITS is not one of these bands. 
I Just Read About That... 