Akaya Moses - Fred Frith Guitar Quartet (The)

Advantages: Wonderfully inventive, often moving music from the master
Disadvantages: A few wrong moments

...; ambient, droning synthesizers much like early Frippian soundscapes (or more rightly Frippertronics) float over the surface of the music; beneath which occasion thuds of bass and Fred Frith’s treated guitar. It is a collection of sounds and rhythms woven together seamlessly into a whole piece of music that admittedly is not jump up and dance music. This is ambient, carefully intelligent music. It really forces you to interact with what you’re listening to; you have to listen out for the nuances. Perhaps this is something of a weakness as if you don’t it could seem a little like a mess of sounds. I imagine Energy Fools the Magician annoying or just plain boring some people, but really it sounds in many ways quite mysterious and enigmatic. But then fades in the glorious, definitely pop-inspired King’s Lead Hat (an anagram of Talking Heads... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: A good range of music is presented here
Disadvantages: Not so good for new Reich fans

...The main piece on this CD is Triple Quartet, a work written as recently as 1999. It has a strident and pungent sound but features Reich's famous driving, pulsing rhythms that are really captivating. Unlike his earlier works, the harmonies are stronger and less lush and there is a constant sense of drama and a surprisingly high level of passion. It took me some time to warm to the piece but now it is very high on my list. The slow movement is particlarly beautiful. Next up is a reworking of Violin Phase for electric guitar. An odd concept but it does work. However i prefer the original, its hard edge tone may not be to everybodys liking. Music for a large ensemble follows next and flows along at fast pace with interlocking patterns. There were moments when the mix seems to lose its way, and some of the textures seem to collide a little... Read review

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Advantages: Genius!
Disadvantages: None whatsoever

...Write some songs about a stripping transvestite vicar and someone called Mavis? Surely it’ll never catch on, you must be mad! Well, that’s what a quartet from Chester decided to do, unleashing their debut album into the British music scene, four years ago now. And it still seems like yesterday. Woo hoo Mansun, you knocked Blur off the number one spot in the album charts with this gem! And on with album... For those who don’t know who Mansun are, they’ve been lumped in the indie category. Not strictly true, as they don’t exactly stick to the indie style and certainly don’t give a damn when it comes to competing with their peers. They just do what the hell they want to do and why not? You’ve got scruffy bearded Andy on drums, the oddly named Stove on bass, floppy haired and scary teeth Chad on guitar, piano and anything he can get... Read review

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