Bedhead/Macha - Macha Loved Bedhead
(Jetset)
Like Macha, I loved Bedhead. Unlike Bedhead, however, I did not, nor do I
now, love Macha. So, its unfortunate that on this collaboration e.p. we
are given to what seem to be a selection of Macha songs to which a couple
of the Bedheads have contributed some initial instrumentation.
The first two tracks ("You and New Plastic," "Never Underdose") are almost
entirely Macha. There is a simple guitar and drum part which we may
assumed was supplied by Bedhead, but it is buried underneath layers of
crazy instruments like zithers and other plinging and ringing sounds.
Where Bedhead would leave open space to accentuate tone and melody, Macha
fills in with truckloads of thick, artificial washes. The songs are quirky
and strange, but with nothing much by the way of substantial songwriting.
They lack the starkness, honesty, immediacy and intimacy that made Bedhead
such a special band.
The next two tracks ("Hey Goodbye," "Only the Bodies Survive") seem to be
actual completed Bedhead songs to which Macha has added more "production."
These songs are not really too compelling to begin with (leftovers from the
last album, perhaps), however, Macha's addition of what I can only assumed
to be more zithers does nothing to make the situation any better. The
effect is kind of like listening to Bedhead and a separated Macha song
simultaneously.
Buyer beware: there are really only four songs. Tracks 5-86 are eighty
five-second blips of tape noise followed by an amusing cover of Cher's
sub-Madonna chart-calculated foray into techno "Believe" played on a
touch-tone telephone. (Hey God, can we trade you Cher for Sonny?) Sadly,
this is probably the highpoint of the album, but its not really the kind of
thing you find yourself returning to again and again.
If anyone, Bedhead completists or what have you, are really intent on
picking this up, I happen to have a copy that is available, if you know
what I mean.
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