TOTAL SHUTDOWN - TOTAL SHUTDOWN (LOAD 054)

LOAD 054 IS A JOINT RELEASE WITH TIGERBEAT6: LOAD HANDLED THE LP ONLY ON THIS THIRD FULL-LENGTH BY THESE CALIFORNIAN EXPERIMENTAL SCENE VETERANS: MEMBERS OF XBXRX (GREAT), DEATH SENTENCE: PANDA! (REALLY GOOD, PLAYED MY FIRST GIG IN SUPPORT OF), COACHWHIPS (GREAT), SIC ALPS (CAN NEVER REMEMBER BUT POPULAR!) JOIN FORCES AND ARE RECORDED BY VETERAN ART MUSIC POLYMATH WEASEL WALTER. THAT IS SOME SERIOUS CRED!

I SHOULDN'T COLOUR MY LISTENING MY READING TOO MANY REVIEWS BUT THE GENERAL SHRIEKS OF JOHN ZORN AND BOREDOMS FEEL FAIR. THEY DON'T SOUND THE SAME BUT WOULD DEFINITELY WORK AS A SUPPORT ACT OR A CONNECTED ACT: MANIC, ANTIC, INTELLIGENT, AND COLOURFUL MUSIC TREADING BETWEEN STRUCTURE AND IMPROVISATION. THE SKELETON IS EXPERIMENTAL ROCK BUT THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS JAZZ. IT IS PRETTY MUCH A PERFECT LOAD RECORDS RELEASE IN THAT RESPECT.

IN FACT I THINK I LIKE THIS RECORD. IT'S DENSE AND FLIPS BETWEEN RIFFING AND IMPROVISING TO A DEGREE MOST WON'T GET ALONG WITH. IT'S PLAYFULNESS EXTENDS TO DIFFERENT VOCAL APPROACHES INCLUDING COOKIE MONSTER UGGGH DEATH METAL VOCALS ALONG WITH MORE CONVENTIONAL SHOUTING. THERE'S A SAX HONKING ALONG NO WAVISHLY. IT IS GENRELESS AND ATTEMPTS TO STRIDE INTO ITS OWN TERRITORY (WITHOUT QUITE MANAGING IT).

 

I BET IF YOU CAUGHT TOTAL SHUTDOWN ON A HOT NIGHT THEY'D BLOW YOU AWAY AND PISS YOU OFF IF IT WASN'T CLICKING. ON RECORD THEY'RE NEARER THE FORMER, I WOULD SUBMIT. SOLID STUFF.