Just released this past Spring, Akron/Family’s latest follows their trajectory, with Set ‘Em Wild; Set ‘Em Free. The opening, “Everyone Is Guilty,” begins with an angular, muscular riff leading into a chant-like lyric. At times there’s a bit of a Captain Beefheart thing going on, along with classic hard rock riffing on top. It’s a strong opener for another great offering from this band, quickly becoming one of my favorites.
One thing, there definitely seems to be less overt Buddhist themes, but this doesn’t mean they’re any less obscure: “And you are not longer river to me/though your coursing remains/eager to acquaint me.” The vocals on “River” sound like They Might Be Giants, and even the melody sounds like it could have come from that band.
Perhaps more than any of their previous releases, each song sounds like it’s in a different genre and style, and yet the cd avoids sounding like a patchwork and is actually among their most consistent works.
I don’t know anyone personally who knows of this band, and if I were going to attempt to turn anyone on to them, it would be this release. Without becoming ‘mainstream,’ it is definitely their most accessible, Again this is not to say they’ve watered down their vision. What is most apparent is the expanded tonal palette. They’ve used horns before, in a free-form jazz way, but here they’re more pastoral, and cello and violin add an almost chamber sound at times.
I don’t know if the closer, “Last Year,” is autobiographical, or political, but its terse lyric: “Last year was a hard year/for such a long time/this year’s gonna be ours” bodes well for us fans!
Showing posts with label Avant-Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avant-Rock. Show all posts
Monday, November 16, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Akron/Family and Angels of Light
It seems like every time I visit Toronto’s Soundscapes, Akron/Family has released a new cd. What we have with there here cd is 7 songs written and performed by Akron/Family, followed by another 5 songs credited to Angels of Light, which is Michael Gira backed by Akron/Family acting as his band, Angels of Light. And it is yet another wonderful offering of 'freak-rock-avant-folk!
There are alternating songs and moments of free-form sounding raucousness and tuneful, folk-like gems. Lyrics seem less overtly Buddhist, but more arcane, personal and at times obscure, and the jazz elements found on their previous outings are absent.
The ‘surprise’ here is the work with Michael Gira, beginning with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Pity The Poor Immigrant.” Gira’s work tends not to generally be so ‘straight’ as the treatment they give Dylan’s old chestnut here.
The rest of Gira’s tunes certainly do not feel out of place on an Akron/Family cd, though his lyrics tend to take a darker tone, even when singing of hope in “One For Hope.”
Gira, and now Akron/Family, are denizens of Brooklyn, not that that necessarily explains anything!
There are alternating songs and moments of free-form sounding raucousness and tuneful, folk-like gems. Lyrics seem less overtly Buddhist, but more arcane, personal and at times obscure, and the jazz elements found on their previous outings are absent.
The ‘surprise’ here is the work with Michael Gira, beginning with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Pity The Poor Immigrant.” Gira’s work tends not to generally be so ‘straight’ as the treatment they give Dylan’s old chestnut here.
The rest of Gira’s tunes certainly do not feel out of place on an Akron/Family cd, though his lyrics tend to take a darker tone, even when singing of hope in “One For Hope.”
Gira, and now Akron/Family, are denizens of Brooklyn, not that that necessarily explains anything!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Akron/Family: Love Is Simple
Akron/Family’s second cd, Love Is Simple begins with a gentle acoustic guitar piece with the following lyric:
Every precious human being
Has been a precious parent to you.
What can be done,
What can we do,
What can be done,
What can we do, do
Do, do, do?
Go out and love, love, love, everyone.
Of course, this follows the Tibetan Buddhist teaching that over the long stretches of cosmic time, all beings have been – among other things – parents to us. So, due to their previous beneficence, we should love and honor all beings.
This being an Akron/Family cd, this little ditty is followed by the epic “Ed Is A Portal.” The sweetly lilting following tune, “Don’t Be Afraid, You’re Already Dead” has as it’s first verse, “Don’t be afraid, it’s only love./Love is simple.” If only! But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a catchy little ditty.
Overall, compared to their first outing, Meek Warrior there’s less the Sun Ra free-jazz anarchy, and more acid-folk with some early Mothers Of Invention sounding instrumental passages. A bit of Freak Out with more love and no cynicism. “There’s So Many Colors” is perhaps this cd’s standout in this regard, moving through more changes than a Bollywood song!
“Phenomena” reminds us that “Things are not what they seem to be./Nor are they otherwise./Some think rice is white/Some think it it brown.” A kind of explication of the empty nature of all phenomena, with a hint of humor.
Here’s another cd bought at Soundscapes in Toronto. And no, I am NOT in their employ! This one comes with the added bonus treat of a dvd of the band in performance. By the time I got through hearing this second cd from this band, they had earned a place high on my list of favorite bands. I hope someday to be able to see them, but I’m not sure what it might take to bring them to Tucson (though Japan’s Ghosts were here this year!).
Every precious human being
Has been a precious parent to you.
What can be done,
What can we do,
What can be done,
What can we do, do
Do, do, do?
Go out and love, love, love, everyone.
Of course, this follows the Tibetan Buddhist teaching that over the long stretches of cosmic time, all beings have been – among other things – parents to us. So, due to their previous beneficence, we should love and honor all beings.
This being an Akron/Family cd, this little ditty is followed by the epic “Ed Is A Portal.” The sweetly lilting following tune, “Don’t Be Afraid, You’re Already Dead” has as it’s first verse, “Don’t be afraid, it’s only love./Love is simple.” If only! But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a catchy little ditty.
Overall, compared to their first outing, Meek Warrior there’s less the Sun Ra free-jazz anarchy, and more acid-folk with some early Mothers Of Invention sounding instrumental passages. A bit of Freak Out with more love and no cynicism. “There’s So Many Colors” is perhaps this cd’s standout in this regard, moving through more changes than a Bollywood song!
“Phenomena” reminds us that “Things are not what they seem to be./Nor are they otherwise./Some think rice is white/Some think it it brown.” A kind of explication of the empty nature of all phenomena, with a hint of humor.
Here’s another cd bought at Soundscapes in Toronto. And no, I am NOT in their employ! This one comes with the added bonus treat of a dvd of the band in performance. By the time I got through hearing this second cd from this band, they had earned a place high on my list of favorite bands. I hope someday to be able to see them, but I’m not sure what it might take to bring them to Tucson (though Japan’s Ghosts were here this year!).
Monday, November 9, 2009
Akron/Family: Meek Warrior
I know next to nothing about this band, but I cannot tell you how happy I am that they exist! I don’t know if I read a review of their first cd, Meek Warrior, while in Toronto, or if I just happened to listen to some cuts at one of the listening stations at (once again) my favorite indie cd store in North America, Soundscapes in Toronto on College, but I LOVED the disciplined anarchy that opens up the cd.
“Blessing Force” has only this line: “You want the blessing force, the blessing force,” which is chanted a few times during the 9:30 running time! Think Sun Ra and the Solar-Myth Arkestra as a free-form rock band (featuring an alto sax solo that would do Marshall Allan proud)! This is followed by a sweet folk (camp fire-side) rendition of the “Maha-Prajnaparamita Mantra” which ends the Mahayana Buddhist wisdom text, “The Heart of the Prajnaparamita Sutra:” “Gone, gone, gone beyond; Gone completely beyond.”
Following this, are several more mellow offerings with titles such as “The Meek Warrior,” “No Space In This Realm” and “Lightening Bolt of Compassion” which seems to have a Tibetan lyric. So, this along with the other song titles leads me to think they are either practicing Tibetan Buddhists OR at the very least heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism.
After another rocking free-for-all called “The Rider (Dolphin Song)” the cd ends with a slightly askew folk-gospel tune called “Love and Space” which again sounds very Vajrayana:
Lord, open my heart,
Lord, bring me near.
Lord, open my heart,
And make it into a mirror
To reflect the myriad
Colored lights of
Love and Space.
“Blessing Force” has only this line: “You want the blessing force, the blessing force,” which is chanted a few times during the 9:30 running time! Think Sun Ra and the Solar-Myth Arkestra as a free-form rock band (featuring an alto sax solo that would do Marshall Allan proud)! This is followed by a sweet folk (camp fire-side) rendition of the “Maha-Prajnaparamita Mantra” which ends the Mahayana Buddhist wisdom text, “The Heart of the Prajnaparamita Sutra:” “Gone, gone, gone beyond; Gone completely beyond.”
Following this, are several more mellow offerings with titles such as “The Meek Warrior,” “No Space In This Realm” and “Lightening Bolt of Compassion” which seems to have a Tibetan lyric. So, this along with the other song titles leads me to think they are either practicing Tibetan Buddhists OR at the very least heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism.
After another rocking free-for-all called “The Rider (Dolphin Song)” the cd ends with a slightly askew folk-gospel tune called “Love and Space” which again sounds very Vajrayana:
Lord, open my heart,
Lord, bring me near.
Lord, open my heart,
And make it into a mirror
To reflect the myriad
Colored lights of
Love and Space.
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