Bill Laswell, Fred Frith, Charles Hayward, Percy Howard - Meridiem (1998) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Laswell, Fred Frith, Charles Hayward, Percy Howard - Meridiem (1998)

avantgarde, rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 360MB

BLFFCD 08000101

review:
If I had to think of one word for this project it would have to be energetic. The energy ranges from rage to sublime beauty as heard on a track like Iurodivii. Percy Howard has a dark quality to his voice that immediately appeals to me. It's a blend of Kip Hanrahan meets Nina Simone . It ranges from demonic to an almost innocence.Backed by a band that fully believes in sonic assault on your aural senses, this ends up being one killer of an album. Possibly for this listener in the top ten for this year. Howard says of this project " It has come for me the axis on which teters infinite possibility; the abyss or heaven,rage or joy,love or lust,destruction or brotherhood"
In the seventies this might have even been called a concept album, along with its imagery of the mystical number seven, the mingling of blood, and occasional references to spiritual entities. Reminiscent of the works of Kip Hanrahan, this is music for tortured souls, combined with emotional and sensitive lyrics, soaring guitar work from Frith, as well as some of the most tumultuous drumming from Charles Hayward. Add Laswell's personal style of bass playing and you have yet another unique recording. The arrangements are pretty much eclectic ranging from pop to avant garde to funk. Can't help wondering where they get all this energy from. Percy Howard is the leader of the band nus, who have previously released material on the Belgian label sub rosa. The lyrics are reminiscent of some of the works of Williams Burroughs, thus my earlier references to tortured souls. What really keeps this album tight sounding is the guitar drum combination of Frith and Hayward. His massively awe inspiring drumming and vigor really dominate this recording. Frith is not someone's whose career I have followed but some of the guitar artistry on this is way way out. At times bordering on punk ethos, but too intelligent to head in this direction of senseless destruction and anger. It's far too polished a project for that.
A unique recording that will appear to a lot of people who are into contemporary music.

Tracks:
-1/  The 7th (Howard, Attila Jozsef: poet(H) 1905-1937) -6.33
-2/  Mingle (Howard,Laswell,Hayward,Frith) -4.10
-3/   Interference (Howard,Laswell,Hayward,Frith) -3.55
-4/  Frozen (Howard,Laswell,Hayward,Frith) -7.04
-5/  Iurodivii (Howard) -5.49
-6/  Votive Rhythm (Hayward,Laswell,Frith) -3.34
-7/  Lunarsa (Howard) -5.54
-8/  Anaesthesia (Howard,Laswell,Hayward,Frith) -4.58
-9/  Crucible (Howard) 11.30

Recorded and mixed at Orange Music Sound Studios, West Orange, New
Jersey, Jan 18 - 22, 1998 

Personnel:
Percy Howard: vocals;
Fred Frith: guitar, radio, organ, violin;
Bill Laswell: bass, fuzz bass;
Charles Hayward: drums, percussion, cowbell, wurlitzer.

sample & buy: Meridiem

rc