The final show by Bill Rieflin’s Slow Music Project has them emerging from a disconcerting miasma of mains hum. Happily however, static notes gradually mingle and after the dramatic intro,things are anything but slow. In what is arguably their most demonstrative set yet, the band of improvised pluck, scrape, bang and generally thrum in a startlingly dramatic fashion.
The group are certainly on form for their last public performance, sounding like massed ranks of de-tuned radios skipping across the stations. Flashes and shards of notes quickly coalesce above an oozing, quicksand of churning bass tones. Other highlights of the first set, Buck and Fripp engage in a soaring duet which in turn gives way to a ruminative exploration between Fred Chalenor’s prodding bass playing and Matt Chamberlain’s carefully considered drumming.
It’s Chamberlain who also dominates the early stages of the second set as well, although this eventually subsides into the more reflective territory in which the group specialised during the course of this six-date tour. During the peaks and troughs different combinations of players create their own weather, clashing on occasion, but sending some thrilling sparks flying in the process.
The glistening introduction to the final section (courtesy of Pete Buck’s butter knife) is a magical, ambiguous place indeed - full of morse-code pings and submarine siren calls. The ending is no less bewitching - ghosts of notes long since passed away briefly materialising and each in turn disappearing back to nothingness. A great end to an interesting project.
The final show by Bill Rieflin’s Slow Music Project has them emerging from a disconcerting miasma of mains hum. Happily however, static notes gradually mingle and after the dramatic intro,things are anything but slow. In what is arguably their most demonstrative set yet, the band of improvised pluck, scrape, bang and generally thrum in a startlingl...
I enjoyed the Slow Music CD and the first 4 downloads a lot. There was a certain sameness to them--I couldn’t tell you which night was the BEST--but each release showed plenty of inventiveness and held my interest enough to want the next release. The 5th night something happened. I don’t know, but I suspect the musicians became more comfortable with each other and with the format. To my ears, they certainly became more daring as they began stepping out more, particula...
I enjoyed the Slow Music CD and the first 4 downloads a lot. There was a certain sameness to them--I couldn’t tell you which night was the BEST--but each release showed plenty of inventiveness and held my interest enough to want the next release. The 5th night something happened. I don’t know, but I suspect the musicians became more comfortable with each other and with the format. To my ears, they certainly became more daring as they began stepping out more, particularly in case of bass/percussion.The final night is, IMO, even better. It starts out with some Fennesz-style noise punctuated by occasional bursts of sound. (I’m not sure I believe this is all entirely spontaneous, but it works.) From there, the musicians continue to explore, again keeping with the "Slow Music" framework, but as with night 5, they go somewhat further than they had before, and into something far more than just cool mood music. Oh, and yes, plenty of "soundscape guitar" throughout.It was very nice following this band night by night, recreating their short time together, but to those who are interested in purchasing Slow Music but doubt that they’ll want six releases, I’d say start here and work your way back.