From: Henry Schneider henry@iapc.net
Subject: Musea Label and Various Indie Bands
Date: 2 February 1997
Thistle: Thistle (1996; Ventricle CD-7) 44m
=======================================
What a pleasant surprise I had the other day when I found this treasure in
my mail box!  Thistle is the latest release of mysterious-cosmic-eerie
female vocal-electronic music from Ventricle.  Up until now this small
private lable has only released Dusty Lee's projects of Mauve Sideshow and
Torn Curtain.  Ventricle is growing and Thistle represents the first
non-Dusty release.  Like Mauve Sideshow and Torn Curtain, Thistle is a
duo (Kelly on instruments and effects and Danielle on vocals).  There the
similarity stops.  Rather than the trippy recitatives and mellotron of the
other two bands, Thistle explores the analog electronic realms of deep
space.  Their debut CD seems like one long composition, the nine songs
flowing seemlessly from "Circle Star" to "Remember."  Kelly paints his 
usical
canvas with exquisite drones and electronic watercolor washes highlighted by
Danielle's heavily processed and mystical "little girl" voice.  This is
great music and at nearly 44 minutes, it is just too short!  Another
departure for Ventricle with this release is the accompanying artwork.  The
album cover contains a Photoshop altered photo of a young woman (Danielle?)
with a tatooed shoulder and swathed in branches.  The photo is framed by an
organic whispy material that gives it an appearance similar to a Nettwerk
release.  The booklet contains other photos of her as well as one enigmatic
portrait of Kelly (?) staring at you with half of his face covered by hair
and the other half by a tiny gold chain spider web attached at his eyebrows,
nostrils, and lips.  Strange and gothic images to accompany the music. 
Thistle and the other Ventricle artists are in a class of their own.  Space
music and experimental music officiandos will enjoy Thistle.  You probably
won't find it at your local Tower Records so contact Ventricle directly and
support the independents!
Mandra Gora Lightshow Society Ovid's Garden (Swamp Room Records LC 4149)
================================================
The Mandra Gora Lightshow Society is a contemporary German neo-psych band and
their debut (?) release Ovid's Garden is a limited vinyl edition of 750
copies on Swamp Room Records from Germany and 250 copies on Delerium from the
UK.  However there is a noticeable lack of band and album release information
in the sleeve.  Since the Mandra Gora Lightshow Society recorded the title
track in April 1994 at Hannover's Cafe Glocksee, I surmise the album release
was 1995 or 1996.  The conglomeration of trippy nonsensical lyrics, organ,
piano, xylophone, electric and acoustic guitars, gongs, drums, percussion,
didgeridoo, and vocal arrangements contributes to over 45 minutes of modern
psych/Krautrock music which has more than a passing resemblance to Amon Duul
II.  Side one contains a song about a one-eyed cat, another complaining about
today's boring music and mentioning some underground bands (Metabolismus and
The Cosmic Gardeners), and two mind expanding songs.  The second side 
ontains
the side-long title track which is a mixture of cacophonous psychedelic
weirdness alternating with some heavy organ riffs.  As the song develops, the
band leaves the trippy sounds behind and kicks in with heavy bass lines,
Hammond organ chops, and even some vocal recitation.  This is a killer cut to
close out a surprising album.  Ovid's Garden will be hard to find, but well
worth the effort if you are successful.  Highly recommended.
Shylock: Ile de Fievre (1978; Musea FGBG 4177.AR) 48m
=================================================
Recording their second album in 1978, Ile de fievre, Shylock finished their
musical career with a tour de force.  The six tracks from the original LP are
a collection of superbly crafted symphonic rock combining influences from 
ick
Wakeman, Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Zappa, and Heldon. Musea also
included a seventh bonus track recorded a year after the album just as the
band was breaking up.  This track, "Le dernier," does not have the sonic
clarity of the rest of the album and Shylock's  performance is subdued in
comparison.  As usual, Musea provides extensive liner notes covering 
hylock's
history from Gialorgues to the band split in 1979.  An excellent release
that closes out the chapter on one of France's finest bands of the seventies.
Cliffhanger: Not To Be or Not To Be (1996; Musea FGBG 4213.AR) 73m
===============================================
Not to Be or Not to Be is Cliffhanger's second release and Musea's
promotional material raves about this band.  However I find the music to be
derivative of Genesis-era Lamb/Wind and Wuthering.  There are occasional
moments of interest but Rinie Huigen's nasal voice can be annoying as he 
ries
to emulate Peter Gabriel.  Cliffhanger does shine during its instrumental
breaks with Sewers and Ragnarok featuring some excellent musicianship.  The
final song, "Moon," is a quiet four minute instrumental, yet on the CD it is
16:30.  At the end of Moon there are 12 minutes of silence followed by 2
minutes of music that is more experimental and interesting than anything else
on this CD.  It's one of those "Easter Eggs" you occasionally find on a CD. 
Cliffhanger is a band to watch.  The extra two minutes of music and some
scattered other moments demonstrate that this a band that could successfully
develop a style all their own.
Gerard: The Pendulum (1996; Musea FGBG 4195.AR) 39m
===============================================
Gerard, a Japanese band led by keyboardist Toshio Egawa, has been recording
since 1984 and The Pendulum is their fifth album.  Gerard has gone through a
number of changes since 1984 and the present line-up consists of Egawa,
Atshushi Hasegawa on bass, Masuhiro Goto (famous Japanese heavy metal 
rummer)
on drums, and Robin Suchy (Canadian rhythm 'n blues singer) on vocals.  
Empty
Lie, Empty Dream" opens the album with the sound of clocks chiming and
immediately segues into powerful and energetic keyboard dominated music that
continues throughout the remaining 39 minutes.  Egawa's heroic compositions
and masterful keyboard orchestrations complemented by Suchy's Meatloaf-like
vocals will make you want to stand tall and raise your fist in the air.  To
augment the listening experience Musea included an extensive band history,
discography, lyrics, and an exquisite full color cover art reproduction
picture CD.  The Pendulum is virtuoso prog rock and, to my ears, the best 
rog
release of 1996!  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
XII Alfonso: The Lost Frontier (1996; Musea FGBG 4183.AR) 71m
=================================================
XII Alfonso is a new French band whose debut release The Lost Frontier is a
concept album about Hadrian's Wall.  Similar to Musea's other Celtic inspired
band Kadwaladyr, XII Alfonso weaves a cinematic tapestry of ambient sounds 
nd
contemporary, Celtic, and medieval themes.  Mostly instrumental, the music is
relaxing and perfectly played at times reminding me of Anthony Phillips. 
Unfortunately XII Alfonso chose to include three vocal tracks by Caroline
Lafue that detracts from the music.  Her voice does not have the depth
necessary to deliver the lyrics and she occasionally slurs words. That minor
gripe aside, The Lost Frontier is the perfect companion to snuggle up with
in a blanket and a good book.  Or you can close your eyes, let your mind 
rift
with the music, and conjure your own "documentary" images of Hadrian's Wall.
Volkor: VOLKOR (1976/1981; Musea FGBG 4197.AR) 69m
==============================================
This new Musea CD is a reissue of both Didier and Francis Lockwood's first
releases: Jazz Rock and Debbi.  Due to the loss of the master tapes, Musea
had to resort to recording the CD directly from vinyl and tidying the sound 
p
to remove the pops and scratches.  The result is a crisp clean sound.  In
addition, due to contractual problems, Musea released this CD under the name
Volkor, a track from Jazz Rock.  Falling somewhere between Return to
Forever, Zao, and Magma the music on Volkor is an excellent audio document of
the French jazz-rock scene of the late seventies.  Listening to this music
today, Didier's electric violin and Francis' keyboard chops are as fresh as
ever.  Sustained tempos, rapid rhythms, and frantic solos abound throughout
Volkor's 69 minutes.  Volkor is the best reissue of the 1996 and one release
not to be missed by aficionados of the genre.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Luc Marianni's Seltae Beat Up and Down (1996; Musea FGBG 4185.AR) 60m
====================================================
Musea seems to be releasing a number of concept albums lately. Up and Down,
their latest and Luc Marianni's sixth album, is a bit unusual in that it is
exactly 60 minutes long.  Up and Down is a science fiction story set in the
year 2160 when man is forced to draw all his energy from the sea in order to
survive.  The thin plot (how much can you achieve with 60 minutes of music?)
lies somewhere between Waterworld, The Abyss, and Mad Max.  However the music
does not exactly give you the same impression.  What Marianni produced is one
hour of very pleasant and melodic rock ballads that for some reason reminded
of both Al Stewart and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.  There is nothing
adventurous or innovative about this music and neither are there any
experimental synth sounds.  An interesting aside is that the CD booklet
contains the lyrics printed in English, German, Japanese, and French even
though Caroline Crozat sings them in English.  So if you are looking for some
expertly played melodic rock that tells a story, this is the release for you.
Brainstorm: Smile a While (1972; Musea FGBG 4215.AR) 63m
====================================================
German guys in foundations and girdles???  This is one of those albums that
will immediately catch your eye as you browse the CD racks.  Not being aware
of this band or album I was skeptical of their music after noticing the
fetching figures cut by the band dressed in lingerie.  Was Brainstorm a trend
setting band that set the stage for glam rock?  Probably not.  Instead they
were one of Germany's best progressive bands from the early seventies playing
a complex and harmonically rich jazz-rock music like that produced by Moving
Gelatine Plates, Soft Machine, and Caravan.  Brainstorm's music is
characterized by Ronald Schaeffer's killer distorted sax solos, Rainer
Bodensohn's flute, and Eddy van Overheidt's organ and funky wailing.
Definitely not toe tapping music and not a good idea to play if you are under
a lot of stress or your kids are running around the house yelling. This is
high brow energetic music that demands your full attention. Fortunately for
us, along with the original Smile A While recorded in 1972, Musea also
included three bonus tracks originally recorded for SWF radio in 1971. 
Overall another excellent reissue from Musea's vaults.
Jacky Maestracci: Symphonia (1996; Musea FGBG 8402.AR) 40m
======================================================
Jacky Maestracci is a new French multi-instrumentalist with a penchant for
middle of the road New Age keyboards on his debut solo album Symphonia.
Nothing exciting happens on this disk, no keyboard pyrotechnics, no
adventuresome orchestrations, just well executed symphonic New Age music that
I find a bit boring.  And there is a certain sameness that pervades 
hroughout
the nine tracks.  Not exactly a CD to write home about.  There may be those 
f
you that will lap this music up, but it didn't do it for me.
Bertrand Loreau: Sur Le Chemin... (1996; Musea AM 8400.AR) 64m
==========================================================
Bertrand Loreau's third album Sur Le Chemin... is the first to appear on
Musea's new sub-label Amplitude, an outlet for what Musea calls electronic
modern music.  Loreau creates pretty dreamlike melodies powered by percussive
sequences that are fairly derivative of recent Tangerine Dream efforts.  Like
Maestracci's Symphonia, nothing of interest happens on this disc.  Sur Le
Chemin... is your standard New Age fare.  If you like subdued background
melodies this may be the disc for you.  Since I prefer my music on the edge,
Sur Le Chemin ... did not pass the muster for me.
The Smell of Incense: Why Did I Get So High?/If Not This Time/Coming Down
                      (September Gurls Records SGs 17) 7in. 2:12/3:20/4:00
=========================================================================
Here we have the new single from The Smell of Incense.  While these three
songs pay homage to sixties psychedelic music, it doesn't have the magic of
their debut CD All Mimsy Were the Borogroves.  "Why Did I Get So High" is a
bit intriguing with its harpsichord ostinato and "Coming Down" does have its
moments with strange synth sounds.  But I don't feel compelled to sing along
as I do with their other singles "I'm Allergic to Flowers," "The Smell of
Incense," or "A Visit with Ashiya."  This single does not represent what they
can achieve.  If you want an introduction to this group seek out their CD or
other singles.  This single is only for the completist.
Truth in Advertisement: Balance (1996; Virtue Music vmcd 9601) 58m
==============================================================
Balance is the debut solo effort of Truth in Advertisement a.k.a. Mark
Reynolds, an accomplished progressive rock and jazz drummer living in
Seattle.  In addition to drums Mark also sings and plays keyboards, synths,
and tapes.  Though drums do not stand out above the music, they do dominate
each of the 10 songs which is novel with today's music.  Mark is an
excellent drummer and his music is surprisingly good with just the right
blend of jazz and progressive rock.  His use of quirky sound bites peppered
throughout the disc reminds me of Bill Nelson.  In the promotional material
Mark states that Balance expresses the ideals of striving for the Perfect
Life and that he arranged the songs to emulate the dynamics of daily living.
I don't know if I would go that far, but the music does flow nicely from
song to song and I find the final song "Ponderances on Things Above" to be 
he
best song on the disc.  The water sounds and Gina Scollard's voice are just
the right elements to accompany Mark's keyboards and drums. Balance is a
noteworthy debut effort by an independent artist.
Jonathan Block: After (1996; Ironing Board Recordings IBR 2-9603)  C-60
                Either (1996; Ironing Board Recordings IBR 4-9611) C-60
==================================================================
        Imagine that you're taking an afternoon nap and are trying to wake up 
after
a short but deep sleep.  You are semi-aware (background voices, sounds, etc.)
but you can't make your body move.  Every time you rally you slip back. 
Somehow Jonathan Block has captured this experience on his new tape. 
ethargic
electronics wash over your ears and brain as you progress from "After,"
"Burrow In, Burrow Out," through to "Inevitable."  After is consummate
relaxation music.  Unfortunately I was unaware of its effects and made the
mistake of previewing After while driving to work.  Jonathan's hypnotic
electronics were so relaxing that I had to rely on auto-pilot to arrive in 
ne
piece.  Jonathan should have included a disclaimer cautioning you about
listening to this music while operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery.
        Jonathan's other new tape Either is much more upbeat than After. 
Either consists of three songs:  "Ping," "Engine Room," and "Eardrum." 
Propelled by pentatonic sequences popularized by mid-period Tangerine Dream,
Jonathan crafts an hour of excellent electronic music.  Moving, swirling, and
constantly changing chords and sequences makes for an enjoyable listening
experience.  Help support this independent musician.
Unit 13: Tranceponder (1996; no label info)  C-60
===========================================
Tranceponder is the new cassette release by the Pennsylvanian synthesist
Unit 13 a.k.a. Chris Cooper.  Over the years Chris has released quite a 
umber
of solo cassettes and Tranceponder appears to be his best yet.  The song
titles conjure up images of space travel: "Van Allen Probe," "Levity," "
Meteor Beat," "Entry/Departure," "Stargate," "Phase Reaction," "Hyakutake,"
"Landing Co-Ordinance," "Class-M," "Trajectory Sequence," "Decoder," "Gaelic
Expedition," "Sub Quadrant," and "Hale-Bopp."  Chris, a long time fan of
Tangerine Dream and Chrome, composes and plays superbly crafted electronic
soundscapes that can compete with contemporary artists of this genre:  Helios
Creed, Harvey Bainbridge, Moonloonies, and Mandragora.  Unlike Chris' other
musical project Arttek, there are no background found sound/cartoon 
ecordings
on Tranceponder.  However, underneath the electronics of "Hale-Bopp" Chris
has a female voice counting and reciting numbers in Spanish.  If you hunger
for more cosmic electronic music that Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze no
longer deliver, Tranceponder is for you.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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