Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Fly Assassin and Visionary Appalachian Ragas


I've been listening to Jean-Claude Vannier's 1972 album L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches [B-Music/FindersKeepers] which has been on my to-buy list for awhile. I finally took the plunge on this edition as it features a video of a live performance from an Yves Saint Laurent fashion show circa 1971 (!). One of the reason that the late 60's/early 70's are such an interesting time for music is that so many seemed willing to mix every possible style of music and instrument into a single lp, today it's all so flat. I put it down to the pernicious influence of focus groups, narrowcasting and that mindset (I sound like an old codger I know). Anyway back to Vannier: fantastic stuff. Bits that suggest Krautrock or Musique Concret or sitting-at-a-sidewalk-cafe accordion music or groovy Yves Saint Laurent fashion show music circa 1971.

Currently playing is Henry Flynt's Ascent to the Sun [Recorded]. I'm still assimilating this one but I can tell you that it was recorded in 2004 which means that Henry has returned to music production. That is a good thing.

You can file the disc next to C Tune and Purified by the Fire as it contains a single 40+ minute track, but Ascent is more challenging and somewhat harsher sounding. This may be due to the fact that C.C. Hennix's tamboura isn't present so that comfortable drone is absent and what is left is the voices of Flynt's multitracked violin. It's enough.

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