Sunburned Hand of the Man
Self-titled CD
Wabana
Genres:
New Weird America, free improv, experimental
April 2006 |
Despite Wabana's characteristically cryptic (rather, non-existent)
liner notes, I have been able to determine that this is a live
recording from Sunburned Hand of the Man's loft in Charlestown,
Massechusettes, reissued from a 2003 limited pressing. This label is
responsible for a slew of rare singles, featuring the likes of
Guided By Voices, Kid 606, Six Finger Satellite, and
Calexico, but this disc is one of three recent reissues Wabana
put out simultaneously, along with albums by Acid Mothers Temple
and Wolf Eyes.
The four track recording in question here occupies the space of
forty-three minutes, and in that time manages to entrance, baffle, and
envelop you. The first piece lays a guitar groove above simple
percussion and various forms of spacey sonic atmosphere to create a
truly hypnotic experience; the last two and a half minutes climax then
sort of mellow out to provide a nice finish to the nearly eight minute
work. Following this, the second track becomes darker and more
depraved. A trancey background is juxtaposed with the agitated
ramblings of the singer (begging "war, war"); manic, jazz-influenced
percussion and brass add tension before a drone comes in and takes the
track to a different place. A Middle Eastern influence becomes
apparent in the background tone and the piece concludes in dark,
mysterious echo - something from a church hall deep near the Earth's
core.
Track three is the album's shortest and darkest track; it's an
eerie, unsettling piece of atmospheric ambience with a moving bassline
and a strong sense of mystery. There some free jazz/improv squiggling
at the end that sets us up for the fourth and final performance, which
is eighteen minutes of wild, experimental free noise - saxophones,
percussion, amorphous vocals, and assorted noise make up the dense
wall of sound. With about six minutes left a dark haze descends upon
the piece; distant, reverbing chants occupy a hollowed-out well deep
in the music until the sound gradually deteriorates into a mainly
percussive state. With that, the album ends - and
so does the trip.
87%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 4 tracks, distributed by
Surefire, released 2005] |
