Jacques Berrocal

Parallèles original: d'Avantage (DAV 01, 1977) reissue: Alga Marghen (plana-B 5TES.037, 2001).
The origin of the track 'Rock'n'Roll Station' (the NWW version appears on the release of the same name). Surpisingly both versions are similar with the orginal just minus the electronic effects. A lot else on this release sounds NWWish. This shouldn't be surprizing because Berrocal is a friend of Stapleton and has even played on NWW's second album. Very much in the dadaist/absurdist tradition (but without the outragousness found in most such works). Jac Berrocal, I sure, is a skilled trombonist but chooses to play as if he never picked up the instrument before. Toy and found instruments abound throughout. Other more conventional instruments are played so unconventionally they belong to the futurist's art of noises; A track entitled 'Brick-a-Brac' is even dedicated to Russolo. The track sounds like a room full of noise making items, most musical in design, and a half dozen crazy men are set loose to try them out. It's amazing that things don't get out of control, and that what seperates the people involved from true madmen. [A+]

Brainticket

Cottonwoodhill original: Hallelujah (CH 8401, 1971) reissue: Phonag (P 81 120).
Considered to be a classic of psychelic and Krautrock (eventhough the group is Swiss). The sound is heavy on the organ with female vocals, sung (spoken) in English, along with a mix of electonics and other sound effects. The first couple tracks are standard progressive 'artrock' fair, not bad but not what got Mr. Stapleton excited. That would be the track entitled 'Brainticket' that fills the remaining side and a half of this release. A track constucted around a killer organ rift, paranoid raving of the female vocalists, and a collage of sound effects. Those familar with Nurse With Wound's track 'Brained' will recognize the organ sample and some of the lyrics. The problem is at falls flat rather quickly but continues on for 20 more minutes. The female vocals at first sound exciting but are not compelling enough to hold my attension (its like listening to someone taking a drug 'trip' where things always sound 'cooler' than they really are). As for the sound effects they are just too random to have much impact. The NWW version of the track is much improved with a more concentrated length and better vocal delivery by Jim Thirlwell (aka Foetus). I get the impression that this recording would sound much better under the influence of LSD, but since I don't do that sort of thing I can't help but be a little dissapointed. [B-]

Jean Cohen-Solal

Musiques et Instruments Insolites: Flute Libres original: Daphy (69.504 U, 1971) reissue: Mio (025, 2003).
Progressive and obviously centered around the flute. Jean Cohen-Solal's flute playing is not often far from conventional on this release but the use of many simulateous layered flutes makes it more than ordinary. Jean Cohen-Solal also plays several other instruments most prominately featured is the double bass. On most tracks guest musicians play Indian sitar and tabla giving a mystical feel. Overall the sound is pleasent and is like a weird Jethro Thull. Things get a little cosmic on the second half of 'Concerto Cyclique'; laid back open sound (almost dub like) complete with a distorted flute sound, base, and electronic organ effects. 'Quelqu'un', which takes up the last half of the album, is uncoventional even by the standards of the rest of the album; Filled with eeriness and sounds that seem to come from deep inside the musical instruments (flute ? and some kind of organ or piano ? others ?) played by ghosts. The sounds are slowed down, reversed and otherwise processed making the listener forget they are listening to a 'flute record'. Instead the track comes off like a well done electro-acoustic recording. Note the Mio reissue contains a newer version of 'Quelqu'un' recorded in 2003. It is not as otherworldly as the original (and I think it is speeded up a bit) but it is denfinitely another highlight of this recording. [B-]

Captain Tarthopom original: Connection (CTN 69569, 1973) reissue: Mio (025, 2003).
This time around there are more instruments and effects than on Flute Libres (see review above). Most noticable is the a prominant electronic organ, used well most places but occationally ventures into typical progressive rock territory (ex. second half of 'Memories d'Un Ventricule'). Jean Cohen-Solal playing style is also different; This time more unconventional and it seems to be playing in response to the organ, trombone, or other instruments (again, Jean Cohen-Solal plays most the instruments himself). The mysticism of the first album returns but is toned down and is textured by more western sounds (electric guitar, drums, etc.). Many songs also include sound effects, from a music box to chickens to processed human voices. This along with choice use of studio effects (not to mention the use of a Ondes-Martenot, an early electronic instrument) leads to a lot of strange little moments. [B-]

Comus

First Utterance original: Dawn (DNLS 3019, 1971) reissue: Si-Wan (SRMC 1026).
For fans of Current 93 (of which Steve Stapleton was an early and now occational member) or any 'apocalytic folk' music this recording is an absolute must. The definative dark modern British folk album. In addition to songs about mythology there are songs about murder, rape, and insanty. The sound is also expanded with hand drums and modernized with uncredited electronic devices (theremin ?, mellotron ?, other ?) as well as a bag of studio effects. There is definitly a crossover into the realm of progressive. The relevance of this release to Nurse With Wound is however minor. A possible exception is 'Bitten', a short instrumental track of unusual playing and effects. (The split rating is for NWW/Current 93 relevance). [C+/A+]

Fille qui Mousse

(Trixie Stapelton 291) Se Taire Pour une Femme Trop Belle original: Futura (RED 04, 1972) reissue: Mellow (MMP 197, 1994).
French group but very much in the krautrock mold (esp. Faust or Can). The opening and closing tracks are well done, with the bass louder in the mix than the drums and nonbody trying to show off their playing ability, but are fairly conventional krautrock. Elsewhere on the album things are bit more experimental, with every track sounding distinctive. The second track (the Mellow version has no tracklist) opens with a sonar like beeping followed by someone rapidly playing the keys on a piano. The third track is centered around some unusual percussion and sitar (?) plucking. The fourth track features a women reading a French poem over distant barking dogs that gives way to nothing but electronic howling. Piano sounds return on the fifth track; At first with a slight reverb and then under a heavy layer. The sixth track is a jazzy vocal piece very poorly sung Engrish with bubbling sound effects accompaniment. The seventh track is built around chops of processed guitar noises. The eighth track is a violin heavly amplified to produce feedback and other anomolous noises. If there is real any flaw with this release is that all the interesting moments are too short (and the anoying moments too long). An idea starts and then quickly changes to another (most often within the same track). Note I didn't even attempt to explain all the changes in the descriptions above; So there are still many surprises for the first time listener. [B+]

Dwight Frizzell

Beyond the Black Crack original: Cavern Custom (6104-12, 1976) reissue: Paradigm (PD 6, 1998).
Released under the name Anal Magic but really is a collections of different groups centered around Dwight Frizzell. A collection of amaturish preformances with real and found instruments as well as electronic effects. The most conventional moments of the album are from a live preformance at a church chili super. The group, Fredrik's Cosmic Spaced Out Blues Band and Orchestra, play what they jokingly call 'jazz'. At first it is your typical highschool jazz band fair, but then half the group diverges into some kind of free jazz followed by experiments with an oscilloscope. [?]

Pierre Henry

Variations pour und Porte et un Soupir original: Philips (836.898, 1963) reissue: Harmonia Mundi (HMC 905200, 1987).
Translates as 'Variations for a Door and a Sigh' and that's exactly what you get; musique concrete (tape manipulation and collage of natural sounds) drawing from the sounds of a door and two kinds of sigh, the musical (a saw) and breathing type. Each of the 25 tracks is a little study of what can be done with this premise. Some of the tracks sound almost like the anoying squeeking chair that can be heard on many NWW releases. Others have sounds of stiking and flexing a metal sheet. The sounds for the most part are not noticably altered; they sound like they could have been performed live without the aid of electronics. The handful of tracks do manipulate the sounds into something like a crazied saxaphone or strange grumbling. A few instances the sounds become complex and interesting, but for the majority this recording is as tedious as listening to a sound effect record (I know a few of you out there actually enjoy doing such). Some of the tracks are also very anoying especially after hearing the 2nd or 3rd slight variation. Nurse With Wound have definitely used a lot of the ideas from these studies; There are even a few tracks that are NWWish. [B-]

Voile d'Orphée original: Philips (836.887, 1953) reissue: Harmonia Mundi (HMC 905200, 1987).
(Note this release only contains the second shorter version). Sounds like the soundtrack to a surrealist film complete with dialogue. Filled with eery sounds, processed voices, and far off distant instruments. Definitely strange and dreamlike. It does sound like Nurse With Wound but to me it is a bit off. [A]

Steve Lacy

Straws original: Cramps (CRSLP 6206, 1977) reissue: Artis (CRSCD 066, 1997).
The first half of this recording consists of solo soprano sax largely unaccompamied (xylophone and clarinet add texture on few tracks). all are played skillfully and are quite pleasant. They do however come off sounding like listening to someone practicing the saxophone. What is remarkable about this recording is the second half; One long collage and layering of improvised saxophone and the construction of a building. It has a very gritty industrial texture, with insect like noises and the sound of air escaping from ballons or pipes. Like a free jazz concert performed in the middle of an active train yard (now that's industial music should sound like). The absurdity of it alone is enough for me to recomend it. [B+]

Alan Sondheim

T'Other Little Tune original: ESP Disk (1082, 1968) reissue: XYZ (1082-2, 19??).
... [?]

L. Voag

The Way Out original: L. Voag (NO 9, 1979) reissue: Alcohol (ALLVCD, 199?).
Way Out amature weirdness. The first side comes off as a strange comedy record. L. Voag and company take a stab at playing ska, beat jazz, surf, tv adverts, and doing a very bad job at it. The second side comes off as an even stranger comdey record. [?]

YaHoWha 13

I'm Gonna Take You Home original: Higher Key (3308, 1974) reissue: Swordfish (YHVH1CD, 2003).
Blues based hard rock from an American 'cult/commune' organization. Their strange religous beliefs do not really come through on this release so I will not dwell on them. The trippy-weird aspects that I expect are also absent in most of the tracks. There can be no doubt this album is heavy and outdoes many krautrock acts. On this release they are trying hard to be rock stars as can be heard on the first version of the title track. It just screams 'this is going to be our hit single'. The second version of the title track (track 4) is a rather loose jam session, but the second and fifth untitled tracks are much tighter and heavier jams. The major weirdness is limited to the 3rd untitled track; insect like buzzing, guitar effects that grow into noise, sparse percussion, wordless vocals. As the track starts to jell into a more conventional track it abrupty ends. Overall not a bad rock record, just a little too conventional. [C]

artist

title original: (, ) reissue: (, ).
... [?]

reissue: the version of the release reviewed. if none listed the it is the orginal reviewed.
rating: general guidelines

A+ = can't believe this isn't NWW !
A = similar and very infleuential to NWW
B = comparable but different to anything NWW has done.
C = this release is unusual but not very NWW like.
D = weird but in a bad way
F = this is some kind of joke ?

note the rating is for the whole album. a good release with some subpar tracks will get a lower rating. conversely an ok or bad release will get a higher rating for having one or more standout tracks.

© 2002-2004 TGK

URL: tgk.konshak.org/nwwlist.html