 Cul
De Sac
"Immortality Lessons" CD
Strange
Attractors
Genres: post-rock, experimental rock, free jazz
Strange Attractors
PO Box 13007
Portland, OR
97213-0007 USA
July 1 - 7 2002 |
Post-rock
enthusiasts should recognize Cul De Sac to some extent; they've
been bashing the brains out of the borders of "rock" for
years now, and they aren't planning on dropping the fight anytime
soon.
This, their most recent release, is a live album. Cul de Sac
were penned to record a live concert at a radio station one day, but
were all in horrible moods and were completely uninterested in
playing. They were stuck, though, as they had to perform. So they did,
and they just played through it carelessly, all in an attempt to get
it over with. After it all, they knew that they had created a piece of
shit and they just wanted to forget all about the incident. After a
while, though, they listened to what they had played and realized that
it was one of the best performances they had ever done. Oh, the irony.
Alas, here it is - on CD and ready to go.
After just one listening session, it became very evident that Immortality
Lessons is a keeper. Apocalyptic post-rock soundscapes crash
across planes of infinite space, all in an effort to produce one giant
headtrip. Glenn Jones' sonic guitarwork is psychedelic and
mind-numbing, although you never feel compelled to move to it. As the
instruments carry you through various worlds of differing frequencies,
your mind follows but your body rests in place. At times you're in the
land of Tortoise, at times you're in the outer galaxies of Yume
Bitsu and Landing - but you're never at rest, and you sure
as heck ain't anywhere close to Earth.
The title-track is one of the best pieces on this CD. Hurtling past
the boundaries of rock with free drumming, psychedelic guitarwork, and
improvised electronic twiddling, the piece fires by in a jumble of
chaotic, Medeski, Martin, and Wood-inspired experimental
jazz-psych-electro-rock. It just bleeds perfection. "The
Dragonfly's Bright Eye", on the other hand, is a ten minute
experimental epic. Loose, free, and completely moving, it lays back,
opens its mouth, and lets out a great big yawn of sound - all to the
enjoyment of the listener. Meanwhile, "Liturgy" is a loosely
manipulated recording of an ethnic chant, "Frozen in Fury on the
Roof of the World" is a moody, semi-melodic musical journey, and
"Blues in E" is a beautiful exercise in laidback, cinematic
jazz.
All of the songs on Immortality Lessons flow into each other
perfectly and beautifully, and there's absolutely nothing to complain
about. Cul De Sac have scored another hit; let's just hope they
never reach the end of their road.
90%
Matt Shimmer |
