01-05-2002

Snapshots #9

Norfolk & Western, Hayden, Clairvoyants, Bevel, Nad Navillus, Julie Doiron, Okkervil River, Scud Mountain Boys, Wow & Flutter

Due to obvious reasons of slow translation, we're unable to provide you with this review in English at the moment. In the meantime, as we're very keen that you should read about the cds we've listened to lately, and if you want to live a strange experience, here's an automated translation by Altavista!

We cannot hide you that we wait with more than febrility the new album of Norfolk & Western so much their preceding exit "{ centralia }" had made us capsize. We hold finally the object in the hands! Superb object besides, with a signed artwork of John King, the same one who deals with the small pockets of Mr. Ward. One looks at quickly made names of members which makes this time the group and one falls on Tony Moreno and Jordan Hudson (the rhythm section which accompanies Matt Ward in round), Jeff London (excel Portland cement folksinger), Richard Buckner, John Askew (thinking head of Tracker and the FILMguerrero label)... in short a casting of dream. And quality is well with go on these sixteen pieces where Adam Selzer and his troop continue to explore a folk atmospheric, filled at strong current-edge with ideas and instruments, which reveals, starting from rather simple melodies, of true splendours. Small warning: how all the discs of Norfolk & Western, it will take time to assemble the tracks between them and to really appreciate totality... the whole is thus not to be in a hurry! We passed very a long time beside Hayden, surely a large error with the listening of this new "Skycraper National Park" and of sound folk intimist which can only we like. But more than all on this album (more than the splendid dash which decorates the small pocket, it is any statement!), this album is essential for the first title, "Street Because", which is a happiness of simplicity, heat and shivers. The remainder is, of course, also prone to delight. Badman Recording had accustomed us to very good with two compilations "Shanti Project", with the albums solos of Kozelek Mark, with the revival of Paula Frazer. With the album the Clairvoyants , it is surely a top of its catalogue which it has just left. All stupidly we could say that if the music of Kozelek, Mark Hollis, Spain and Low were amalgamated, it would resemble the sound of this group: a splendid voice, éthérées environments and a rate/rhythm pointing out the breathing of the plungers in apnea. When of a group we do not like an album, that does not want to say that it is necessary to draw a feature on this name... swelled not! Bevel of it is the alive proof. We had not at all liked the voice of Via Nuon on "Turn The Furnace One" but on "Where Leaves Block In The Sun", as by enchantement, it makes us crack. Perhaps that the entry as regards the album, "Exitrance" is there for much: a piece which begin with loops from arpeggios assisted by a violoncello. Blow it is by the large door that Bevel invites us to divide its small treasures and we cannot refuse such a reception! It should be noted that Via Nuon can be surrounded since one finds beautiful world throughout the album: Michael Krassner, Deanna Varagona, Mick Turner and Scott Tuma. Nad Navillus is a name of the type gross poilade in "Cagivo - euh it wants to say Vogica" since behind this pseudo daN Sullivan hides, character already met at the side of Jason Molina. "Show Your Face" is the first album that we truly adored this year (meanwhile of others climbed this level so much gratifiant: Guimo, Norfolk & Western, Songs: Ohia... Ben, we see are not with a blow of heart near), with its melody structures in form of loops of guitar, left perfect assemblage point between Nick Drake and John Fahey... yes only that! If the word "intimacy" were to apply only to one album, it is perhaps well with "From now on" of Julie Doiron that we would allot it. More still than when it sings in English, Canadian the chuchotte its words when it uses French. It is thus necessary to tighten the ear to be let aspire by its counting rhymes in love. Is last disc of Jagjaguwar for this chronicle (how that our love for this label visible? on this subject a new album of Spokane has just left!) with most excited of the batch, a group named Okkervil River which briskly comes to plunder the tombs of elder folkeux American and which unquestionably points out their young child prodigies (Will Oldham, 16 Horsepower, Sackville) with an album who smells and good the fertile compost extremely, ground in which one likes vautrer without false modesty. Even if the almost integral one of Scud Mountain Boys is already at the house, it is a pleasure of seeing compiling by a Spanish label, Discmedi, a significant part of the heads of works of the group. Especially if the disc starts with the only unknown piece and that immediately unloads "Penthouse In The Woods", proclaimed by ourselves better piece of this formation. Let us hope that this initiative will encourage the neophytes to consider this precursory group of the "alt-country" and that they will push even until discovering the more pop projects of Joe Pernice (The Pernice Brothers and Chappaquiddick Skyline). Lastly, and to finish on the only key "post-rock'n'roll" of this page, it is necessary urgently to get the new album of Wow & Flutter (which leaves to Alice In Wonder in our regions). Initially for the splendid artwork of the disc, but especially to let its spirit derive on the six pieces which Cd Of very long beaches which are built with the idle and which makes should be deserved.