ROME "Flowers From Exile" CD [2009]
I was immensely excited about this release. Somehow I managed to miss out on the taster EP, but maybe that was a good thing, since I ended up listening to the new album having not heard any of the tracks before. It was fresh to my ears and I had no idea how the new material would sound. I was not disappointed.
ROME is the brainchild of Jerome Reuter and was founded in Luxembourg only 4 years ago in 2005. Since then has seen the release of 4 albums and 2 EPs. For "Flowers...", Jerome (guitar & vocals) is joined by Patrick Damiani (guitar, cello, bass, drums & keyboard) and Nikos Mavridis (violin). Being a three-piece has certainly affected the project's sound - though not drastically - and it is a welcome progression.
With a theme of the Spanish civil war, this CD has a unique flavour compared to its predecessors. Starting off with a progressive almost Rock piece, we are treated to some really laid-back Folk-rooted guitar hymns, with Jerome's deep, soothing vocals flowing freely throughout. Things pick up pace a bit towards the middle, anthems steeped in melancholy, but still managing to sound uplifting. Some trademark ROME elements are still here - speech samples at the end of tracks, etc, but all in all this is a big step away from the Cold Meat Industry releases. A step the right way, it should be noted.
(5 out of 5)
Tuesday 7 July 2009
Monday 6 July 2009
Bird Seed
Whitehouse "Bird Seed" LP [2009] [orig. 2003]
The UK Power Electronics masters Whitehouse release their 17th album on vinyl format as part of their ongoing collector's reissue programme. Just to fill you in, William Bennett is releasing 17 out of his 19 albums on vinyl in limited quantities, with bonus tracks wherever possible. This edition was originally put out on CD in 2003, coming hot on the heels of their much-famed "Cruise", an awesome album of varying sound and art.
This release follows up quite closely with some tracks seemingly sounding familiar, though as a whole offers something distinctly different. I did read up on the lyrics to this a few years back, but my memory fails me, though I do recall that they were brought together from various subjects and sources, creating something which is intently baffling and deliberately immediately nonsensical. You gotta dig deep, I guess.
One thing which bugs me about this release is the inclusion of yet another collage piece - the title track. It was best done on "Mummy & Daddy", though was revived for "Cruise" and seemed to work, yet on this release it bored me to death completely. Even with Sotos' "Buyer's Market" in my collection, I still didn't wanna hear another piece like this.
As a bonus, the vinyl release offers an additional track in the form of an extended instrumental version of "Wriggle Like A Fucking Eel", which I believe is taken from the 12" single. What sounds like thundering djembes is much more enhanced and placed over the original track's electronic squeal. It's a bit repetitive but still nice to have.
(4 out of 5)
The UK Power Electronics masters Whitehouse release their 17th album on vinyl format as part of their ongoing collector's reissue programme. Just to fill you in, William Bennett is releasing 17 out of his 19 albums on vinyl in limited quantities, with bonus tracks wherever possible. This edition was originally put out on CD in 2003, coming hot on the heels of their much-famed "Cruise", an awesome album of varying sound and art.
This release follows up quite closely with some tracks seemingly sounding familiar, though as a whole offers something distinctly different. I did read up on the lyrics to this a few years back, but my memory fails me, though I do recall that they were brought together from various subjects and sources, creating something which is intently baffling and deliberately immediately nonsensical. You gotta dig deep, I guess.
One thing which bugs me about this release is the inclusion of yet another collage piece - the title track. It was best done on "Mummy & Daddy", though was revived for "Cruise" and seemed to work, yet on this release it bored me to death completely. Even with Sotos' "Buyer's Market" in my collection, I still didn't wanna hear another piece like this.
As a bonus, the vinyl release offers an additional track in the form of an extended instrumental version of "Wriggle Like A Fucking Eel", which I believe is taken from the 12" single. What sounds like thundering djembes is much more enhanced and placed over the original track's electronic squeal. It's a bit repetitive but still nice to have.
(4 out of 5)
Gomorrah
Gomorrah [2008]
Based upon five stories from the bestselling book by journalist Roberto Saviano, which exposes the true life happenings of the Neapolitan crime organisation, the Comorra, similar to the Mafia. After the release of his book, attempts were made by the Comorra to eliminate him (yeah, whack him). Saviano was given a permanent police escort to protect him and has since left Italy to escape from living in hiding.
This should give you some kind of idea as to the kind of people the film is dealing with here. Not the glamourized hoods ala The Godfather; there is no such romanticism here. The film portrays all the gang members with gritty and brutal realism, and doesn't stylise anything. This isn't a stereotypical Hollywood tale of likeable gangsters, so those expecting such a thing should best stay away.
As regards to the film itself, it's better if you are a bit clued up as to what is going on with these people, as the movie offers no such explanation and simply dumps you in the middle of it all, often wondering just what the fuck is going on at times. It's easy to get a little lost at first, but you soon find your footing, becoming enthralled by the happenings on the screen. Young kids wearing bullet proof vests and being intentionally shot at close range to prove that they are "men." Two young careless guys getting themselves into deep shit by stealing bosses' guns and shooting them off across lakes in their underwear, pretending to be Tony Montana. The film is a sea of criminality where you are left to figure it all out yourself and watch as it comes to a bloody, violent end.
Like I said before, this isn't for you if you are after more Godfather, Donnie Brasco, etc, unless you have an open mind and have a genuine interest in this kind of thing. It's not the best movie in the world, but it's worth giving a chance.
(4 out of 5)
Based upon five stories from the bestselling book by journalist Roberto Saviano, which exposes the true life happenings of the Neapolitan crime organisation, the Comorra, similar to the Mafia. After the release of his book, attempts were made by the Comorra to eliminate him (yeah, whack him). Saviano was given a permanent police escort to protect him and has since left Italy to escape from living in hiding.
This should give you some kind of idea as to the kind of people the film is dealing with here. Not the glamourized hoods ala The Godfather; there is no such romanticism here. The film portrays all the gang members with gritty and brutal realism, and doesn't stylise anything. This isn't a stereotypical Hollywood tale of likeable gangsters, so those expecting such a thing should best stay away.
As regards to the film itself, it's better if you are a bit clued up as to what is going on with these people, as the movie offers no such explanation and simply dumps you in the middle of it all, often wondering just what the fuck is going on at times. It's easy to get a little lost at first, but you soon find your footing, becoming enthralled by the happenings on the screen. Young kids wearing bullet proof vests and being intentionally shot at close range to prove that they are "men." Two young careless guys getting themselves into deep shit by stealing bosses' guns and shooting them off across lakes in their underwear, pretending to be Tony Montana. The film is a sea of criminality where you are left to figure it all out yourself and watch as it comes to a bloody, violent end.
Like I said before, this isn't for you if you are after more Godfather, Donnie Brasco, etc, unless you have an open mind and have a genuine interest in this kind of thing. It's not the best movie in the world, but it's worth giving a chance.
(4 out of 5)
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