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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