Cotton Casino - 100% Pure Cotton 7"
(Riot Season)
Sunburned Hand of the Man - Hoof Trip 7"
(Riot Season)
Riot Season, the label that recently reissued Mainliner's Mellow Out album, has released two new limited 7"s. The first is Cotton Casino's first official solo release; she of course being the "cigarette and beer" player—as well as keyboards and voice—in Acid Mothers Temple. This 7" is actually one of very many recent releases by Cotton; those thinking maybe the Acid Mothers Temple were taking a break should look for Cotton's 3 one-song, limited to 100 CDRs on her Cosmic Star Child label, the second Double Pardons CD, as well as her upcoming We Love Cotton album on Sillyboy, all coming since late Spring/early Summer. However, those looking for more Acid Mothers may want to think twice before checking out this 7", as it is by no means pyschedelic (those looking for psychedelic Cotton should find a copy of the Cosmic Star Child CDRs). The two songs on the 100% Pure Cotton EP are bubblegum pop... perhaps if the bubblegum were laced with some sort of mind altering substance, but still bubblegum nonetheless. Think synth pop like Takako Minekawa or something like that but with free tone-bending, whistling synths filling the space around the simple keyboard melodies. The A-side, "Fly High," is mediocre; the melody beneath the whistling sounds is so childlike in its simplicity, it could have been composed by anyone. Unlike much of her vocals in Acid Mothers, Cotton sings lyrics here; they are in Japanese so I am not sure what she's singing, but on "Fly High" comes off sprightly and joyful. The B-side, "Open the Shine," however, is really good. Instead of using a simple, childish melody, Cotton uses a slow chord progression, adding drum machine for rhythm and texture—somewhat like Her Space Holiday. The tone here is much more melancholy, and Cotton's voice is very expressive, creating a very sad and evocative song, even though I can't understand a word. The song is not unlike later Joy Division, although it's no doubt 100% Cotton. The second new 7" on Riot Season is from Sunburned Hand of the Man. At its best, a Sunburned Hand of the Man recording should feel like a bootleg of a jam session. The move from CDR to 12" LP in Jaybird and Headdress has already affected the quality of some Sunburned Hand of the Man recordings, chopping off parts, leading to the feeling that the original source of the full session would be more interesting than the mass distributed set of fragments. Thus, you'd have to wonder how well the Sunburned Hand of the Man would fit on a 7". The answer is, "Not too bad, actually," as the songs on the 7" fit well in the form and duration provided. The A-side, "Hoof Trip," is pure drum circle, aside from some bass, a few squalls, and a few twinkles. As the song develops, they get a clickety-clacking and create a nice beat, but as any Iron Butterfly fan knows, drum solos should only be allowed to go on for so long. The B-side, "Plague Pipe," is much more of a trip, a good mix of skronk and funk similar to the band's double album, Closer to the Bone. The opening to the song is creaky ambience of echoing voices, bending wood, and clarinet solos. Out from this comes a very tight Kraut bass groove, which flows for a couple minutes before a skronky sax interrupts to create an airy, empty sound. The funk cannot be denied, though, and when it comes back, it is giddy and silly, bringing a smile to your face but thankfully subsiding after only a few moments. Both these singles have great cover art, come in colored vinyl (white Cotton and a nicely tanned Sunburn), and are very limited (500 Cotton Casino and 600 Sunburned Hand), so make sure you act quickly.
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