5/20/13  Sam Hillmer of Z’s holds his night Practice on Mondays usually at Public Assembly in Williamsburg (where it moved from Zebulon). Tonight it was in a space upstairs and is rumored to be moving again soon. Tonight was a record release for Sam’s solo (extended/effected) sax project Diamond Terrifier and he made a mighty performance, which at times razed the ground in sheets of noise and other times felt like a Terry Riley piece conjuring shamen. He was aided and abetted for half the set by Kirin J. Callinin, who earlier in the night played a solo set with guitar and vocals which was quite individual, powerfully eccentric (see this video). The night was closed out by the churning song-stylings of Sacred Bones artist Amen Dunes.

Source: foetus.org

5/19/13 I’ve listened to and seen Liars since their early days thru their many changes in sound and style and enjoyed their constant change, exploration and rejuvenation. Though I’ve got to say that I was less than convinced by their latest album WIXIW, their take on electronic music. The material fared  better live in their show at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC, tho every track was anchored by a plodding house kick drum. The wistful set-closer “Cant Hear” almost seemed like an attempt to channel singer Angus’ ex, Karen O. They unleashed more energy when they closed their encore with a storming version of their “hit” Broken Witch.

Source: foetus.org

Playlist 5/18/13

Costin Miereanu – Dérives
Buke and Gase - General Dome  (Brassland)
David Bowie - The Next Day (Columbia)
Francis Dhomont - Mouvances-Metaphore  (BVHaast)
Jonas Broberg / Erik Mikael Karlson - Two Composers  (Fylkingen)
“The Court Of The Crimson King” from Doc Severenson’s Closet
Actress - RIP  (Honest Jon’s)
Annie Gosfield - Almost Truths an Open Deceptions  (Tzadik)
Morton Subotnik - Sidewinder  (Mode)
Suzanne Ciani - Lixivialtion  (B-Music)
Broadcast - Berberian Sound Studio  (Warp)
Christopher Bond - Invocations  (Our Silent Canvas)
Jon Anderson - Olias of Sunhillow  (Atlantic)
David Earl Buddin - Paradise is Opened / The Destroyed Book
Lars Akerlund  Ur/Volt  (Fylkingen)

Source: foetus.org

I caught The Residents “Wonder of the Weird” 40th anniversary tour when it stopped at Sodra Teatro in  Stockholm on 5/8/13. The singer “Randy” was dressed in a Santa Claus outfit in front of inflatable santa and snowman with crossed Xmas candy canes, and worked their way thru their history, complete with anecdotal stories. Musical backing was supplied by keyboard and guitar, with “Randy” doing goofy dances and schtick, with a presence bordering on pantomime. It was bare-bones compared to some of the elaborate staging I’ve seen at other Residents shows. I must give them props tho - in the early days the music of the Residents was revelatory to me. I first heard them in 1976, and it was the music I had always wanted to hear but could never articulate; it changed my life. The first ten years of their music is still seminal and chilling : Meet The Residents, Third Reich and Roll, Fingerprince, Not Available, Eskimo, Duck Stab…what a run!

Source: foetus.org

5/17/13  Performa presented  “Loudspeaker: A concert symposium for extra-normal vocals” at Cooper Union in NYC. The event featured presentations on extended vocal technique from the extraordinary, legendary Joan La Barbara, Jace Clayton (aka DJ Rupture), Florian Hecker, Alex Waterman and Performa curator Mark Beasley. It was a fascinating afternoon, but the highlight was Joan La Barbara’s personal anecdotes and description of her journey in vocal discovery, along with demonstrations of her techniques. Clayton discussed auto-tune and some of his own works, Alex Waterman recited a Robert Ashley piece and it concluded with a wonderful three channel electronic piece with treated vocals by Hecker and Beasley.

5/16/13 Tristan Perich performed Noise Patterns at The Kitchen, a “composition for sequenced 1-bit patterns of white noise, programmed for and performed by microchip.”. The sound built from washed of white noise slowky diminishing and declining into its components clicks, building up again and then reconfiguring into changing pulses of white noise, then joined by a low bed. The music was mesmerising and stunning, another triumph for the brilliant Mr Perich.
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5/16/13 Tristan Perich performed Noise Patterns at The Kitchen, a “composition for sequenced 1-bit patterns of white noise, programmed for and performed by microchip.”. The sound built from washed of white noise slowky diminishing and declining into its components clicks, building up again and then reconfiguring into changing pulses of white noise, then joined by a low bed. The music was mesmerising and stunning, another triumph for the brilliant Mr Perich.

Source: foetus.org