ANTO/LOGICAMENTE

This collection from one of the most daring bands to ever come out from Italy is deceptive, but many missed the joke printed right on the cover: Anto/Logicamente. Since this is a 'greatest hits' type release, many not familiar with Italian would quickly read the title as some variant on 'Anthology'. In reality, it translates roughly to 'the opposite of logical'. Which is exactly what this collection is, a gathering of their most out there, avant-garde and non commercial music they ever produced. And if you are a fan of this band already, you know that is definitely a statement. In any event, their choices for their 'Greatest Hits' would ensure that the unsuspecting would run far far away. Logical? No?

Area's label, Cramps decided to put out a collection 1977 and asked the band for input. Whether their label was in on the joke or not (they were pretty hip for a label and avant aficionado owner Gianni Sassi was integral to the Area camp), Area picked 6 of their tunes that were not really representative of their work, some of the most off putting to fragile ears music they could gather. Even for fans of the band, this was definitely a collection for 'difficult listening hour'. The inclusion of a non lp track does make this something to hunt down for completionists.

Most definitely not the place to start for someone trying their first Area experience-Arbeit Macht Frei, Areazione, or Crac would be better choices-but a fun record for hard core fans, and something to whip out to freak out your friends.

Reference points for this particular record? Hard to pin down, but electric avant-jazz mixed with pure chaos and demented opera tremolos comes close. Still relatively easy to find original vinyl first pressings out there.

Three stars