Sometimes I don’t know whether to listen to these cds, or just hang them from my fruit trees and use them to scare the birds away.
Eric Salzman’s The Nude paper Sermon was supposedly a seminal recording back in the 60s. It was noted for its mixture of various genres of music and styles. Really? On the first disc, which covers the 2 movements totaling 50 minutes I hear a lot of vocal cacophony, multi-directional instruments and lyrics that have no meaning except nihilism. The second disc of Wiretap consists of 4 pieces from the 60s and 70s, and likewise is about as eternally important as wide whale bell bottom chords.
The team of Pat Mastelloto/dr, Lorenzo Feliciati/b, Roay Powell/key and Graham/cornet coalesce to form Naked Truth for a second run through of material that sounds like it was rejects from a King Crimson album. Lots of synthesized beats at times overbearing and in other instances becoming ambient, with hints of Pink Floyd navel gazing on “Dust” making me wonder if I was having a bad dream of my high school reunion gone haywire.
Tenor saxist/flutist/composer Frank Macchia used to put out some of the most wondrously creative material with orchestras, but something happened to him a couple of years ago, and he’s trying to become either a member of The Average White Band, or the backup band for Stax Records. Along with John Rosenberg/key, Ken Rosser-Eric Jensen/g, Tom Lockett/b, Frank Briggs/dr and guest horn s Alex Iles and Wayne Bergeron. Macchia and Tracy London show up for a couple vocals as well, but the fact is that this is essentially something that feels like Dr. John did in on one of his tours. Funky, gritty and lots of heavy back beats are bouncy around the walls. The Strats are being riffed, as on Thmpety Thum Thump and “Walkin’ the Hog” has a hook that is used to catch Rosenberg’s clavinet. Macchia’s horns have traded their warm breath for fire, as “Three Leg Pony” and “Fried Zombie Stew” show. What’s next, Delaney and Bonnie showing up?
Naxos Records
Rare Noise Records
Cacophony, Inc.