Bit Rot Bit Rot Yes volks, another Rokknetwork TAZW is entering the fray. Kate Bush und XTC, a nearly dead on combo if I ever seen one. Pour moi pour a dead combo I'd side KB with Stranglers meself, but the approaches between XTC und the Stranglers are eerily similiar, und there's a lot of parrallels, similiar terrain on them worlds, just Stranglers be closer to my edge. Now I just have to figure out the Kate Bush connection..
Kate Bush first, first on the tape, ay.. I'm a big fan of Kate Bush meself already, in quite the big way. She definately has the touch of a mistress and the aim of a master with a satin pillow... Penetrating stuff. Some faves of mine pop up here, many do not (hmmm, a follow up? could be interesting, KBS?) I haven't really given her newer stuff a real chance to sink, basicly waiting for the moment to catch the coherence.. I think I'm still dealing with the ultra cohesiveness of her earlier output. On to this tape..
Besides the first song, 'Lord of Reedy River' writ by Donovan, it runs chronologically backwards. Which is pretty interesting. Hadn't heard the first, or the second song 'Be Kind to My Mistakes'. Both hit me pretty quickly, the first fits solidly into the songs that come later on the tape, as does the second which is a little surprising because the chronology isn't there. Next up is Rocket's Tail, KB+ Friends, which is a stretch, is steps off where she had made her home. Like I've said, I've yet to give this a chance to sink, it takes me time to shred expectations, right now I find it just seriously present, and I suspect a serious creep at work. Coming at it from total unfamiliarity I suspect it should be right on, for those so inclined.... I really couldn't say enough for the songs that follow those, it's just sound and words that really make a difference to me, and open worlds. I find it amazing that it took Hounds of Love to get her the attention she obviously deserved earlier. One song switch I woulda made instead of 'Leave it Open', I woulda went with 'Get Out of My House'....Could just be the edge..
Kate Bush is really and positively someone deserving a listen no matter what your predisposition for music that isn't blarring and crunching. The substance that's taking place here, actually makes a great deal, of music that is blarring and crunching somewhat empty... Killer stuff..
XTC. Dear God's here, but don't think that's the whole story. It's but a touch, small touch at that.. XTC goes from the immediatly gratifying to the creeping crawling. Which is basicly what they did. The layout is nearly patterned on the first, except in reverse. That is pretty interesting... The strategic as oppossed to the tactical. Neat touch... Where was I, ok the immediatly gratifying, pop with punch. Basicly what got me interested in them from the getgo. Seems I was lax and didn't bite my way through English Settlement begining departure for them from the immediatly gratifying, or so it seemed to me, the song here from that spot, "Leisure" bears out that it woulda probabably coulda been a bite through, I don't even seem to feel a creep there. Moving on, we find total explosion. I probably like the 'experimental' stuff best, myself, New Broom, having to be my pick hit. The kinda sorta totally 90's based revisionist past stuff, if I was willing to give it a chance would definately hit the spot after time, it was begining to grow on me as it went on, so I'd say it's got a some teeth. Oh yeah, I'd probably dig something from Colin Moulding as well, this is all Andy Partridge, and I think there's a balance, that really enriched XTC immeasurably, missing. Other then that, it's really touching a bunch of bases, and is probably one of the more solid tapes you'll see coming around. From my experience, the early stuff is dead on, early stuff here means the very early stuff [KB early stuff comes up pretty late].. Stuff that seems to sound similarly nearly non-charismatic, really just requires a little patience, and breath, to turn the trick, and you'll find it just waiting to be had.. [?? Last Exit?] Good stuff without a doubt...
All in all, look forward to this stuff, ay!