Various Artists - All Tomorrow's Parties 1.1
(All Tomorrow's Parties)
A truly good compilation is a difficult thing to pull off. While John Cusack laid claim to the difficulty and underlying philosophy of finding the proper track sequencing of a mix tape for comedic effect in High Fidelity, we all know that the humor originated in the statement's truth. Thurston Moore and the rest of Sonic Youth seem to have had very little trouble in assembling the ideal musical accompaniment for the upcoming All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Los Angeles. Combining tracks from a number of artists who would typically never appear on the same release, the All Tomorrow's Parties 1.1 disc is startlingly listenable and addictive.
The sequencing of the disc is almost flawless, with each successive track seeming to naturally flow from the one before it. Most of the tracks offer something a little different from the artist's standard fare while remaining immediately recognizable. Sonic Youth starts the disc off with "Fauxhemians", a four-minute instrumental dandy. In a sort of expected manner, light guitar work and metronomic drumming lead into full band participation that fully explodes around the halfway mark. Fans should find this track as a promising reminder of the band's upcoming album due out in late spring/early summer. Unwound follows with "Behold the Salt." They program, keyboard, and bass their way through a pleasing and relaxing effort to further pick up the disc's overall pace.
Stephen Malkmus takes a break from his multi-tracked work with the Jicks with his home-recorded offering, "Good Kids Egg." Reminiscent of his solo 4-track demos that popped up on Pavement's "Major Leagues" EP, the listener is treated to plenty of drum machine, guitar, and Malkmus' ever-catchy and smarmy lyrics. "Old Lungs" follows and fits firmly into the Stereolab mold. Eight minutes of Moogs, trumpets, and steady groove.
Bardo Pond contributes "White Turban (the Traveller)," quite possibly the most intensely trippy and psyched-out track of their entire career to date. After a few moments of tribal drumming and some sort of jaw-harp, Isobel Sollenberger speaks matter-of-factly about having to search the clear starry night for a singular clear object. This sound quickly gives way to more traditional Bardo stylings while the spoken voyage continues to progress forward, eventually closing out in the same manner that it began. Truly impressive work.
Elaborating on her The Covers Record, Cat Power brings a heartfelt and affecting rendition of Robert Johnson's classic "Come On In My Kitchen." Less sparse than her album of covers, Marshall's double-tracked vocals and slide guitar create a deep sense of longing and desire. Papa M follows with "How Can I Tell You That I Love You?," which is a step or two slower and even more delicate than the slowest track on the wonderful Whatever, Mortal. Splendid. One can only hope that this track illustrates a direction where David Pajo will bring us again. "Pidgeon" from Cannibal Ox completely changes the sound of the disc with hip-hop mixed along side of the guitar-driven indie rock that dominates the compilation. It stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the disc. The Dead C make what is a rare appearance for them over the last couple of years in contributing "Load Segment." Similar to their self-titled double disc on Language Recordings, this percussive noise-fest provides plenty of squelch and drone. Their set at the actual festival is bound to be legendary.
The Boredoms initiate the final three tracks of the compilation. "Super Now" is an aggressive drum-driven trip straight to the center of the brain. That is also the destination for Kevin Drumm in "My Tree Bears No Nuts—Part 2." The numbers starts schizophrenically harsh, then calms down before returning to the storm. Closing the disc of much of the same note is "Enhanced Amalgamated Computer Experience" from Satans Tornade. The track is grating and difficult, perhaps the only real down point on the whole disc. It is a shame that it had to be the compilation's end.
I'll admit—I wanted to listen to a few tracks on this disc and not move past that, refusing to sample everything else that there was to offer. I'm glad that I stuck around as I've been continually impressed with the disc as a whole. Check it out for yourself, and I imagine you'll have similar results.
|
