The Squid's Ear
Writing about improvised, contemporary, experimental and unusual music,
following the activities of Squidco...
  •  •  •     Join Our Mailing List!



The Squid's Ear




Heard In

Reviews of artist releases:
cd's, books, magazines, &c.


  Max Eastley & Rhodri Davies 
  Dark Architecture
  (Another Timbre) 


  
   review by Max Schaefer
  2009-07-01
Max Eastley & Rhodri Davies: Dark Architecture (Another Timbre)

Another Timbre gives a live performance from Max Eastley and Rhodri Davies on the night of November first, 2008, in Bracknell, Nerkshire, its proper due with this release. No tyrannical prehension here; only decisive trenchancy to the present instant, and to the errant intimacy of the outside whose indefiniteness seems to draw the duo away from any inflexible identity as such. No, in this brief performance, thirty-four minutes in all, Eastley and Davies display enough technical ability and imagination to go wherever seems right at the moment.

Both lay with a kind of passivity, one that knows when to lay back, to shade, shadow, intervene and interrupt. In this vein, Eastley is a listening percussionist, adding bleeps to the richly layered proceedings or bringing out digital twirls kneaded into the inspired, sticky mass. Davies, too, demonstrates a sort of unreal presence, never quite here nor there. Yet one picks up wisps of electric harp, its lovely tone, its expressive vigor, physical intensity, and dynamic range.

Despite the varied character of this piece, its galvanic combinations and wandering nature, the disc is insistent, focused and probing. It may be an exploration through a slow, murky seep, then, but neither player ever gets tangled in loose ends, and a graceful and largely satisfying piece is the result.







Comments and Feedback:



More Recent Reviews, Articles, and Interviews @ The Squid's Ear...


The Squid's Ear presents
reviews about releases
sold at Squidco.com
written by
independent writers.

Squidco

Recent Selections @ Squidco:


Sam Ospovat/
Expressive Olympics:
Blight Music
(Eclipse Music)



Harriet Tubman (
Ross/
Gibbs/
Lewis) & Georgia Anne Muldrow:
Electrical Field of Love
(Pi Recordings)



Harriet Tubman (
Ross/
Gibbs/
Lewis) & Georgia Anne Muldrow:
Electrical Field of Love
[VINYL]
(Pi Recordings)



Vadim Neselovskyi:
Perseverantia
(Tzadik)



Paul Dunmall Quartet:
Afghan Women
(RogueArt)



Henry Cow:
The Henry Cow Box
Redux: The Complete
Henry Cow
[18 CDs, DVD & 3 BOOKLETS]
(Recommended Records)



John Zorn (
w/ Marsella/
Roeder/
Smith/
Hashimoto):
Alea Iacta Est
(Tzadik)



John Zorn/
John Medeski Trio:
The Bagatelles Vol. 8
(Tzadik)



Suspensao:
Something Ancient
Listens Within Us.
The Light
Has Forgotten
Its Name
But Will Remain.
(Creative Sources)



Barry Chabala/
Clara Byom:
Bella's Ghost
(Squid Note Records)



John Zorn/
The Gnostic Trio (
w/ Frisell/
Wollesen/
Emanuel):
Sing Me Now Asleep
(Tzadik)



John Zorn/
Brian Marsella:
The Bagatelles Vol. 7
(Tzadik)



Re-Ghoster Extended:
Dreaming With
The Lights On
[VINYL]
(Konnekt)



Hannah Marshall:
Grazing
(Relative Pitch)



Ernesto Rodrigues/
Guilherme Rodrigues/
Nuno Torres/
Alexander Von Schlippenbach/
Willi Kellers:
Nickelsdorf
(Creative Sources)



Ivo Perelman (
w/ Marc Ribot/
Elliott Sharp/
Joe Morris):
Trifecta
[3 CDs]
(Mahakala Music)



Marc Copland (
w/ Feldman/
Gress/
Pinciotti/
Henkelhausen/
Burgwinkel):
String Theory
(Inner Voice Jazz)



Gabriel Vicens:
Niebla
(Clepsydra)



Fred Frith/
Karen Stackpole:
Nature
(Sub Rosa)



Magda Mayas' Filamental:
Murmur
(Relative Pitch)







Squidco
Click here to
advertise with
The Squid's Ear






The Squid's Ear pays its writers.
Interested in becoming a reviewer?




The Squid's Ear is the companion magazine to the online music shop Squidco !


  Copyright © Squidco. All rights reserved. Trademarks. (18366)