Is it rock ‘n’ roll? Can you dance to it? Maybe it’s ‘Art’. Or a combination of art and rock ‘n’ roll? Is it fun? Or just plain boring, noisy, indulgent junk? And does any of this matter?
These monumental questions are passing through my mind as I sit down to write about the latest batch of independent records to arrive in local record shops or under my front door. I’m mainly concerned with two albums, one from Melbourne, the other from Sydney. Both pieces of plastic contain attempts at new, experimental music and sounds, and have a similar proportion of interesting moments matched with extreme self indulgence.
Describing the sounds on the records is reasonably difficult and pointless, but I’ll give you an idea of what instruments are used, the bands philosophies and other possibly relevant data it’s up to you to decide if they’re worth a trip to the record store.
Ear Bitten is given over to two groups, a side each – there’s The Severed Heads and the Rhythmyx Chymx. The information included doesn’t make it at all clear who plays what where but the musical base comes from synthesisers, drum machines, guitars, radios, tapes and the tracks were recorded entirely on cassette recorders in bedrooms and kitchens around Sydney. Track titles include such gems as God In The Factory, All Rights Reserved, Close The Door People Are Working, and Music For Solos.
The explanation for the recording of one track goes like this: “The main beat is ‘jamming’ (USA) on short wave radio, run into a synth with 2 oscillators chopping up the tone. This also leads to the background ‘clanging’. On this is piano from the A.B.C. and parts of a recording we made using piano’s and synths”!!
Then there’s another insert with decimated versions of my face, suggesting that these people have some psychological problems concerning the existence of rock ‘n’ roll writers. Be warned, I’ll sue for defamation of character if you sell over a 1,000 copies!!
Earbitten has moments of genuine interest but they’re offset by the extreme periods of doodling and random noise, which just isn’t worth listening to. My suggestion is that those concerned shouldn’t commit all their nave experimentation to vinyl, just capture the worthwhile segments, and release them.
Anyway it’s interesting to hear what some people do in their kitchens. The album costs $5.99, each one has a different cover and is available from Phantom Records, Folkways, Record Plant, Anthem or by writing to xxxxx