PLAYS STANDARDS

GROUND ZERO would be on that short list of bands that I find the most difficult of all. They released five studio albums during the nineties including that final live release in 1999. What they did that was quite different from most avant bands was to cut and paste at will. Even the three guests listed are referred to not as guests, but samples. And they use samples to a fault, including the abundant sound collages on display. I have their two final studio albums, both released in 1997. "Consume Red" as well as this very ambitious "Plays Standards" where they basically cover other artists compositions. These guys had a sense of humour.

So we get 18 composers listed who have had their music destroyed by this Japanese band, including laughingly Burt Bacharach(hello Roger Waters!) and John Philip Sousa(hello THE RESIDENTS!), along with some composers like Fred Frith and Bill Laswell who are actually cool. There are so many instruments listed that I have no idea. A couple of them play toys. The main man is a known turntable genius. There is a goat-hoof rattle. If I had that in my hand during one of my listens I no doubt would be bouncing that off my head in frustration.

So 3 stars out of respect for those in the know when it comes to difficult avant-garde music. I don't know. I do know I will never play this again.