CD-Charts Position 81
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Tongues

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Kieran Hebden, Steve Reid

Release Date March 20, 2007
As a big fan of the Exchange Sessions CDs, I was very much looking forward to this release. Unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations.

On Tongues Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid have changed their format considerably; gone are the extended improvisations, and they are replaced with shorter, and to my ear, much more planned and rehearsed pieces. Also Steve's signature polyrhythmic drumming seems to barely be used, in favour of a simple 4/4 beat in many of the tracks. It seems as if they have tried to make their music more accessible and appeal to a wider audience. I wouldn't have a problem with this, but in doing so they seem to have taken away just about everything that made the first two albums so good in my opinion! Most disappointingly, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 82
Average Rating:

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Analog Hi-Fi Surprise: Remastered

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Mushroom

Release Date September 06, 2004
As a big fan of the Exchange Sessions CDs, I was very much looking forward to this release. Unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations.

On Tongues Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid have changed their format considerably; gone are the extended improvisations, and they are replaced with shorter, and to my ear, much more planned and rehearsed pieces. Also Steve's signature polyrhythmic drumming seems to barely be used, in favour of a simple 4/4 beat in many of the tracks. It seems as if they have tried to make their music more accessible and appeal to a wider audience. I wouldn't have a problem with this, but in doing so they seem to have taken away just about everything that made the first two albums so good in my opinion! Most disappointingly, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 83
Average Rating:

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Venereology

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Merzbow

Release Date April 12, 2004
Venereology is one of Merzbow's harsher analogue albums, a swirling maelstrom of distorted squeals and feedback that will give most sane people a headache within five minutes. While it's good extreme noise this isn't one of my favourite Merzbow albums, as there is a lack of variety on the album - even with one of the four tracks being a live recording with a guest vocalist sonically each track is pretty much identical to the next. If you want the harshest noise possible Venereology is for you, but if you want some more interesting sounds I'd look elsewhere in Merzbow's discography.

CD-Charts Position 84
Average Rating:

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Happy Days

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Jim O'Rourke

Release Date January 09, 1998
Of the many things I can say about this record, perhaps the most enlightening is that this is my favourite 'come home drunk' record. Having said that, I also thoroughly enjoyed it on a long car journey (sober) the other week.

To describe - 8-10 mins of minimalist guitar plucking which evolves into what could have been a seriously foxy Fahey nod except for, yes, you guessed it, a veritable army of hurdy gurdies come in for the next 35 minutes creating an unavoidable mess of noise drone. In places it reminds me of Holly Valance. Then the hurdies quieten down to reveal that Jim was plucking his guitar all along! Mad!

Maddening and gorgeous in non-equal measures (erm, gorgeous wins), this might not be one you'll enjoy when ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 85
Average Rating:

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Red Exposure [VINYL]

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Chrome

Release Date November 24, 2008
Of the many things I can say about this record, perhaps the most enlightening is that this is my favourite 'come home drunk' record. Having said that, I also thoroughly enjoyed it on a long car journey (sober) the other week.

To describe - 8-10 mins of minimalist guitar plucking which evolves into what could have been a seriously foxy Fahey nod except for, yes, you guessed it, a veritable army of hurdy gurdies come in for the next 35 minutes creating an unavoidable mess of noise drone. In places it reminds me of Holly Valance. Then the hurdies quieten down to reveal that Jim was plucking his guitar all along! Mad!

Maddening and gorgeous in non-equal measures (erm, gorgeous wins), this might not be one you'll enjoy when ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 86
Average Rating:

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Retro Transmission [VINYL]

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Chrome

Release Date November 24, 2008
Of the many things I can say about this record, perhaps the most enlightening is that this is my favourite 'come home drunk' record. Having said that, I also thoroughly enjoyed it on a long car journey (sober) the other week.

To describe - 8-10 mins of minimalist guitar plucking which evolves into what could have been a seriously foxy Fahey nod except for, yes, you guessed it, a veritable army of hurdy gurdies come in for the next 35 minutes creating an unavoidable mess of noise drone. In places it reminds me of Holly Valance. Then the hurdies quieten down to reveal that Jim was plucking his guitar all along! Mad!

Maddening and gorgeous in non-equal measures (erm, gorgeous wins), this might not be one you'll enjoy when ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 87
Average Rating:

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Minazo Vol. 1

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Merzbow

Release Date July 03, 2006
This first volume in a proposed series of recordings in tribute to recently deceased Japanese elephant seal Minazo shows Merzbow at his brain-melting best. Incredibly harsh, even by Merzbow's standards, this collection of 4 tracks is a collision of white noise, high pitch squelchy electronic pulses, bowel-shakingly low bass rumbles, flutters of high-pitch static, oscillating sirens and even what appears to be a mad wah-wah guitar solo by Masami Akita. Very noisy, but also very busy and interesting, this is a record to turn up to full volume and feel your brain melt out of your ears - the effect is simultaneously like standing at ground zero of a nuclear explosion yet also strangely hypnotic. Packaged with an essay by Masami on Minazo's life of captivity ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 88
Average Rating:

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Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish: A Tribute to Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Various

Release Date May 06, 2003
This first volume in a proposed series of recordings in tribute to recently deceased Japanese elephant seal Minazo shows Merzbow at his brain-melting best. Incredibly harsh, even by Merzbow's standards, this collection of 4 tracks is a collision of white noise, high pitch squelchy electronic pulses, bowel-shakingly low bass rumbles, flutters of high-pitch static, oscillating sirens and even what appears to be a mad wah-wah guitar solo by Masami Akita. Very noisy, but also very busy and interesting, this is a record to turn up to full volume and feel your brain melt out of your ears - the effect is simultaneously like standing at ground zero of a nuclear explosion yet also strangely hypnotic. Packaged with an essay by Masami on Minazo's life of captivity ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 89
Average Rating:

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Silverbullit

CD-Charts > Music > Noise
by: Silver Bullit

Release Date April 20, 1998
This first volume in a proposed series of recordings in tribute to recently deceased Japanese elephant seal Minazo shows Merzbow at his brain-melting best. Incredibly harsh, even by Merzbow's standards, this collection of 4 tracks is a collision of white noise, high pitch squelchy electronic pulses, bowel-shakingly low bass rumbles, flutters of high-pitch static, oscillating sirens and even what appears to be a mad wah-wah guitar solo by Masami Akita. Very noisy, but also very busy and interesting, this is a record to turn up to full volume and feel your brain melt out of your ears - the effect is simultaneously like standing at ground zero of a nuclear explosion yet also strangely hypnotic. Packaged with an essay by Masami on Minazo's life of captivity ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 90
Average Rating:

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Experimental Jet Set Trash and No Star

CD-Charts > Music > Noise

Release Date
After ten years of owning this CD I have at last given it a fair listening to, and all I can say is that this is one fine record, all the songs seem connected in feeling, and the lyrics are eccentric and at places funny. Sonic youth 10 years ahead of their time?. well i think so anyways.