Flying Saucer Attack - P.A. Blues CDR
(VHF)
How can you not love a band named Flying Saucer Attack? The name instantly conjures up images of destruction, gritty black and white movies, out-of-focus pictures of the sky, and late-night hypnosis sessions. In the past, Flying Saucer Attack's chosen name has been somewhat misleading. Dave Pierce's vocals have been soothing rather than unnerving, and the beautiful vistas of sound that he created have been far from the fallout that would surely ensue after an attack by flying saucer.
On P.A. Blues, however, the name fits. This release is a culmination of live recordings and rehearsal sessions. The title track is a 20-minute collage of numerous shows in 1994, during which the band dashed laser-guided destruction upon the audience. The sheer bombast is unlike what could be captured on a four-track in the living room, so it makes for a very different and interesting version of the group. That being said, at times the harshness gets to be a little bit too much for these ears, which are so used to the mix of grating tape distortion and lulling ambience that have been FSA's trademark on previous releases. Taken on it's own merit, P.A. Blues is nothing earth shattering. However, because it is so different from their "proper" albums (it has a lot in common with the out-of-print In Search of Spaces CD on Corpus Hermeticum), any long-time fan will surely enjoy this unique perspective of the band.
"She Moved Through the Fair/Destruction" leads off the second half of this CD-R. The hazy rhythm guitar, backing drone guitars, subdued drumming, and whispery sweet vocals are instantly recognizable. This is as close to recorded-FSA done live as I've ever heard. It is wonderful to hear what I had always assumed was recording magic recreated in front of people, and the incredible performance gives the song added life. "The Season Is Ours" is the highlight of the disc for me. This live rendering has a sort of subtly uneasy edge to it that really elevates it above the rest of the songs on the CD. Consisting of nothing but guitar and vocals, "The Season is Ours" is the most intimate of all the songs on P.A. Blues and presents a welcome change from the excess noise of the rest of the CD.
P.A. Blues ends with the earliest recording, an instrumental track that predates FSA's first live performance. Basically a rehearsal session, this track is made up of distorted guitar, flowery (though tinny sounding) bass, and intricate polyrhythmic drumming. Though perhaps overlong at 11-plus minutes, it is nonetheless interesting for its historic significance. Listening to this instrumental, one can hear how the entire FSA canon emerged from this particular practice session. The droning delayed guitar is there; the strange rhythms are there; the bass-centricity is most certainly there. But it actually sounds like a practice session—no more, no less—and I can't really see listening to this track over and over. Still good, though.
On the whole, P.A. Blues doesn't pretend to be anything that it isn't. This is the sound of Flying Saucer Attack trying to break out of the cassette, showing strengths and weaknesses along the way. It is a very interesting document, which I am glad to own but can't really recommend to the casual FSA fan. Here's hoping that Mr. Pearce comes out of hiding soon with another Flying Saucer Attack full-length. Please!
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