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listennow801 wrote: Geck0 wrote: Finnforest, I have to disagree with your review, but as Chris, Assaf and Cleo said, it was a well written and sincere review. Personally it's one of my favourite albums of all time.  Not many bands put me on a high, but AV do.  One minute I can be happy, the next minute sad.  That's the thing about Klezmer music... it's also not standard klezmer too, which is another reason I love it.  There's so heart wrenching stuff there and also some great dancy stuff and I happen to occasionally like to dance like a maniac in the privacy of my own home. No hard feelings though.   if: have you heard Cracow Klezmer Band[sp?]? They're great! Yet another Zorn project [not sure he plays actually, but they're on Tzadik]

Not yet, but I plan to get some Masada (or Electric Masada) soon, as I saw some YouTube clips and they blew me away!

avestin wrote: I was wondering if you good people could go to this thread and give me an advice? Cassiber   Thanks.

Black Velvet wrote: avestin wrote:   Aside from tips about Cassiber, I'd like some of your opinions about the Norwegian band Supersilent whose music I will dive into soon.   http://www.supersilence.net/ http://www.runegrammofon.com/artists/supersilent/ Supersilent are great, along with most artist I have heard on rune grammofon. They are kinda hard to place, somewhere between improvisational jazz, with an ambient post-rock-ish overtone. The most 'popular' release is 6, but I think if you back track to 5 you will find a perfect starting place. Their first three disc come in a three disc set, which has tons of worthwhile material. I have not heard their 2007 release yet, but I think they have gone all inventive and called it 8

Having only heard 6, I can't be of much assistance, but the album is well worth hearing.

Geck0 wrote: Finnforest, I have to disagree with your review, but as Chris, Assaf and Cleo said, it was a well written and sincere review. Personally it's one of my favourite albums of all time.  Not many bands put me on a high, but AV do.  One minute I can be happy, the next minute sad.  That's the thing about Klezmer music... it's also not standard klezmer too, which is another reason I love it.  There's so heart wrenching stuff there and also some great dancy stuff and I happen to occasionally like to dance like a maniac in the privacy of my own home. No hard feelings though.

Thanks Gecko, and no hard feelings indeed.  No, I understood it would be controversial to post a negative review of a beloved album.  It speaks much to the openness of the Rio/Avant team here that it was noted positively rather than pelted with tomatoes.  And I understand your feelings too:  though I have trouble with the aspects I mentioned, I can certainly see how that music would make you dance one minute, sad the next.  I thought many parts of it beautiful even if I didn't like it overall as a title.  I may try their newer album to see if that one is more interesting to me.    Cheers. 

Cleo, Ahvak are one of my favourites.  Also listen to Zaar more often, they also make me look blank, mouth agape.

James (Finnforest), Kaarm... is their best, in my opinion, but their recent album has a few more avant moments, but it's very similar to their other albums.  Yet I still love it.  It's better than the debut though, I believe.  I really need to give it more spins.

Hmm... ZART classics?  Well for a jazz fan, try some Zeuhl classics, like Weidorje, Dun and maybe some Zao.

Not listed under ZART, but try Wyatt's debut, or even Rock Bottom.  It's not full-on avant-prog (The End of an Ear is, though), but it's a great start, in my opinion.

If he likes Absolute Zero, then he will like Soft Mountain, Pip Pyle's Bash, L'Equipe Out and Soft Heap.  Also give him some Hatfield and the North to listen to.

I know the above are not ZART, but they're still classic bands a jazz fan cannot go without!

avestin wrote: avestin wrote: TIME OF ORCHIDS - Namesake Caution   Mostly clear vocals (even harmonies), heavy, mostly slow pace, and yet somehow also delicate... reminds me of Kayo Dot's approach and sound at times... they have this abstract quality to their music and yet there is always a sense of direction to it, never veering to unclear waters. Occasionally there's a play of guitars that brings to mind label mates Ahleuchatistas' style, Experimental, pushing forward; I personally like this release quite a lot, it clicked from first listen, and I somehow seem to understand the music, its direction and aim or more accurately, seem to be on the same "vibe".         Just to followup on something: I find it remarkable that a band can be as experimental, angular sounding even, abstract and go into what most people would deem noise or unlistenable and yet have the ability to protray such delicacy at the same time, whether it be with their vocals or by means of the more soft and calm passages in their songs or simply by the way the songs are arranged and the instrumentation.

Yeah, this is a great album.  That's odd we both came up with one band they're really similar-sounding to, Kayo Dot.  I agree with all your points as well, it's a very abstract album, but can still be understood by people who avidly listen to this type of music (I don't want to say "this type of music" because that doesn't at all do this album justice, I haven't heard much music this year more original than this).  It's got a crystalline sentiment, as though every single note was premeditated and chosen with the precious care.  Because one thing about Kayo Dot and Time of Orchids (ToO's newest album, I'm not much a fan of their previous material), if you changed the melodies in the smallest way, you could ideally make it sound really cheesy or pretentious -which is something very hard to accomplish.  The only reason I say that The Beach Boys is similar to this band is how much vocal harmonization is included, it gets to the point that the vocals are instruments themselves.  And like Kayo Dot, I'm pretty sure the songs are scored as classical compositions.  Can't get enough of it.

chamberry wrote: Cheers Assaf. I had the same feelings when listening to Sarcast While, I mentioned it on my review. Hopefully this new album will be an improvement on Sarcast While since the album had some weak spots that could've been better.

Don't worry, I'm pretty sure I had the same problem as you with Sarcasm While.  There were some great moments, but others were muddled and generic, which is what stopped me from continually listening to the album.  Sections seemed entirely misplaced and incoherent with the rest of the song.  Namesake is very surprising.  Another element that is a big step up is the drumming, percussion is fascinating this time to say the least. 

Beaches and Canyons should be a good next album, the album art looks great as well. Other than this album I have only heard Broken Ear Record, which I thought was mediocre, when sexual imagery starts appearing on the albums covers, the musical ideas and integrity are coming to an end. 

^^^ Tell me how that goes. I remember someone recommending me 6 from Supersilent a while back and I still haven't heard a single note from them.

Hmmm... I'm not sure whether people here will be interested in these videos, but give 'em a try. I spent my Sunday evening browsing around on youtube and stumble across some footage of the improvisational duo Voice Crack. They are highly regarded Swiss musicians who specialize in using everyday electronics (and whatever they can get their hands on), to compose their music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4GCYhTLWXo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pYk4Ccjz1c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ1-ytiQJEs