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September 23, 2005
where's my Baedeker's guide to effrontery?
Kevin Drumm - Lurch Two (excerpt)
Sometimes people say they can really 'feel the music'. Usually these people are playing lead guitar in jam bands (mild zing). But if you want to discuss music that has a strong visceral impact upon the listener, why not talk about Kevin Drumm? Most of you are probably familiar with "Sheer Hellish Miasma", the Mego record which can be accurately described as "the wailing, caliginous maw of Hell; a cacaphony lifted straight from the halls of Pandaemonium." (New York Times*). Which is just to say that you'd be hard-pressed to find another piece of music that confronts and agitates in such a well-designed manner.
'Lurch Two' is from Drumm's 2003 record, "Land of Lurches" (actually all the tracks are untitled), and is excerpted here for your listening pleasure in a bite-sized one minute clip. The introduction is innocent enough: soft, sticky aquatic sounds, the record of an object being shoved unceremoniously into an ignominious grave of chocolate pudding. But that's just a feint. Drumm then unleashes a quick-cut jumble of grief-stricken static, oil-curdling screams, and a chorus of ululating turbines. Every time I listen to this, my pulse goes double-time. There's something to be said for music that taps into your 'fight or flight' adrenaline disjunction.
You can order "Land of Lurches" from Hanson Records (the CD has a bonus track).
P.S. Andrew has got the new episode of the PopCast up over at Dig A Pony. This one features the song 'Ruff Gem', from Islands' (ex-Unicorns Nicholas Diamonds and Jaime Tambour) debut album "Islands Return to the Sea", right at the start. Definitely worth checking out. Among other things, Nick Diamonds talks about Th'Corn Gangg's forthcoming LP.
*not really.
Posted by Kevin at September 23, 2005 12:40 AM