FAUST & NURSE WITH WOUND: DISCONNECTED

This recording is how I imagine the original Amon Düül sounding in 2007 if they'd had the technology and any sense of professionalism at hand. The opener has many similarities to 'Psychedelic Underground' from 1969. Forget about the 4/4 beat - this is a 1/1 Red American Indian tribal dirge.

Despite being well produced and being very clear in sound separation, 'Disconnected' leaves me feeling disengaged by its conclusion. I own around 40 Nurse With Wound LP's and have the first 4 'Faust' recordings so had high hopes approaching this collaboration of two very studio-bound artists.

Overall, this album sounds far more 'Nurse With Wound' than 'Faust'. I can only imagine that 'Faust' handed over some DAT tapes with which Steve Stapleton deconstructed, mashed, bashed and re-built to his own requirements.

'Disconnected' is mostly made up of the usual 'Nurse With Wound' precisely clipped vocal snippets, while all sorts of metallic drones and ethereal groans are layered one on top of the other. It creates a very odd Dadaist atmosphere where intentionally, nothing makes sense. There's even a john Cage moment called 'Silence' where you have to listen to nothing for one minute. Why?

"Tu M'Entends?" utilises that 'Nurse With Wound' electronic drum loop that he relied on heavily in the mid nineties. Steve Stapleton is the ultimate magpie plagiarist. SO many of his sounds are 'borrowed' from other bands. This is no bad thing, as they're all so fleeting it's hard to get a grip on them. But I always listen to 'Nurse With Wound' thinking I've heard that somewhere before, but can never put my finger on it. Infuriating...

'Faust' re-appear live on the last track 'Hard Rain' with some violently shouted German vocals and heavy drums. It's tuneless of course and is raw, loud and completely out of place on this recording. It does however, slap me in the face and brings me out of my dead man stupor.

This is not a good place to start if you're unfamiliar with either band. It sounds nothing like 'Faust' and there are far better 'Nurse With Wound' albums available.