Fred Frith - Prints (1987–2001)

Fred Frith - Prints: Snapshots, Postcards, Messages and Miniatures (1987–2001)

rock, avantgarde | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 230MB

Fred Records 2002

Allmusic:
The short story: Prints is Fred Frith's first album of songs in 20 years. The long story: it is actually a collection of compilation tracks and unreleased studio sessions recorded between 1987 and 2001. No matter if you already own a few of these, a pop album by this man is a rarity -- and that is truly a shame. Of course, as a respected improviser, serious composer, and educator, anything lighter from this pillar of modern music will meet with severe criticism from people who take themselves too seriously. Lighten up! Cheap at Half the Price was the best tongue-in-cheek take at the New Wave. If Prints lacks its thematic focus, it still makes a very fine album, much friendlier to the listener, and truly enjoyable. The known material includes two cover songs for Tzadik tribute CDs to Burt Bacharach and Serge Gainsbourg, "Life of a Detective" recorded with 5uu's in 1990, and "True Love" released in 1987 on a Shimmydisc comp (and later included as a bonus track on RecRec's reissue of Cheap at Half the Price). The new material consists of seven pieces recorded for the WDR (German radio) in 1997. These multi-tracked songs were written and recorded spontaneously. Frith derives his lyrics from the newspapers of the day, uses samples to provide rhythm tracks, and pulls off a couple of excellent songs ("I Want It To Be Over," quoting Bill Clinton in an interview related to the Monica Lewinsky scandal, is a highlight) and instrumental pieces. "Reduce Me" was recorded in 2001 using the same method. The album has been carefully constructed to tone down its "collection" nature and it works well, thanks of course to Frith's humor and pop sensibility. Come on, surely you can live with that! Highly recommended.

Tracks
-01. "Trains & Boats & Planes" (Bacharach, David) – 5:07
---From Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach (1997, Tzadik)
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, 1996
-02. "Stones" (Frith) – 2:02
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, January 1997
---Text: International Herald Tribune, 27/01/97, "Palestinian independence celebrations in Hebron"
---Sample: "Ligueyou Ndeye" by Doudou N'Diaye Rose
-03. "Fingerprints" (Frith) – 3:50
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, January 1997
-04. "Life of a Detective" (Frith, Brookings) – 3:13
---From Place of General Happiness (1993, Modern Variety Music)
---Recorded at Triple Helix, Denver, Colorado, 1990 (engineer: Bob Drake)
-05. "The Ballad of Melody Nelson" (Gainsbourg) – 2:01
---From Great Jewish Music: Serge Gainsbourg (1997, Tzadik)
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, 1997
-06. "Trocosi" (Frith) – 4:36
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, January 1997
---Text: International Herald Tribune, 28/01/97, "Enslavement of women in Ghana"
---Sample: "Where Do You Want to Go" by Kahil El'Zabar
-07. "Reduce Me" (Frith) – 5:48
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, 2001
---Text: The Guardian, July 2001, "Afghan woman returns home after ten years of exile"
-08. "Levity" (Frith) – 2:36
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, January 1997
---Sample: "Kattajait" from Inuit Games and Songs (UNESCO Collection)
---Sample: applause for Helmut Kohl speech, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
-09. "True Love" (Frith) – 2:56
---From The 20th Anniversary of the Summer of Love (1987, Shimmy Disc)
---Recorded at Noise, New York City, 1987 (engineer: Mark Kramer)
-10. "I Want it to be Over" (Frith) – 3:01
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, January 1997
--- Text: International Herald Tribune, 27/01/97, "Bill Clinton interviewed about Monica Lewinsky"
---Samples: Escher-loop, broken glass
-11. "Spot" (Frith) – 4:38
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, July 2001
-12. "In the Winter of '64" (Frith) – 1:48
---Recorded at Jankowski Studio, Esslingen, Germany, January 1997

Personnel
* Fred Frith – all instruments (except those listed below), voice
* Bernd "Lönsch" Lehmann (2,3) – clarinet, tenor saxophone
* Mike Johnson (4) – principal voice
* Dave Kerman (4) – backup voice
* Sebastian Gramms (6) – acoustic bass
* Alexandra Schulz (7) – additional voice
* Sheena Dupuis (9) – backing vocal

sample & buy: Prints