Volcano the Bear - The One Burned Ma
(Misra)
Volcano the Bear have released their first "real" full-length album, following the
splendid Pickled Egg EP Yak Folks Y'are and the United Dairies compilation, The
Inhazer Decline. What this record lacks in graphic design is made up for musically.
The One Burned Ma is a masterpiece of creativity and expression, forging new ground
without any hesitation.
Volcano the Bear are most easily compared to Nurse With Wound, as their surrealist
soundscapes owe some debt to Mr. Stapleton. The early output of the Residents
seems like an easier comparison to me, though Volcano definitely come from the Soft
Machine/Robert Wyatt heritage. Volcano add a brighter tone to their music,
infusing an ethnic music influence with the weirdness.
Several tracks make use of repetition--recurring synthesizer chords while weird
voices and chants fade in and out along with field recordings and found sounds.
Despite the pursuit of experimentalism, there is a strange emotional undercurrent
to this record. The disjointed voices of "Lily and the Sparrows," chanting in a
foreign tongue, is strangely expressive.
What makes this band so exciting is the utter freshness by which they approach
recording. Though The One Burned Ma is made entirely of 4-track recordings, the
collage aesthetic escapes the cliches of today's music scene. Listening to this
record is delightful, and repeated listens prove to be more rewarding.
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