Friday 10 February 2012

In the Moog

teifidancer rescued this from thrift.
I half-inched it from him to put it on here as it contains the tracks 'Walkin'' and 'Nine Moons in Alaska', tracks that complete my Performance post.

'Nine Moons in Alaska' is particularly essential as it's the startling piece of electronica that opens Cammel's movie.
It's used throughout. Cut-up and folded in, non-diegetically, enhancing disturbing scenes: whooshing Moog sounds generated by a fucked up Turner; incidental accompaniment to Chas's brutal love making; and then his alkaloid fuelled breakdown.

And it makes awesome shapes on the editing scope:

Paul Beaver and Bernard Krause were instrumental in the popularization of the Moog.
They took Bob's baby to rock, to jazz, to blues and to gospel, as well as helping develop experimental electronica with their early ambient pieces.

This album from 71, brings together a whole array of musicians from different genres, including Ronnie Montrose, Mike Bloomfield, Bud Shank and Gerry Mulligan.

As I've hinted, this album boldly strides from one genre to another.
The synthetics find their niche, readily fitting in to the receptive band set up; a million miles away from what David Vorhaus was doing, and quite different to many of the other budding proggers, Kraut or otherwise.

Side one of the vinyl is a collection of all sorts of disparate pieces, including the two tracks created for Jack Nitzsche that went on to become part of the Performance soundtrack.
Side two contains highlights of sessions recorded at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral over a two day period.
(It's all in Krause's very readable liner notes [included with d/l].)

Whether the venue attracted them due to the music they were planning to play or the venue inspired them to play what they did, the end result is deeply soulful: ascending, wistful sax notes elevated by gentle washes of ethereal electronica.
Very spacey.
Recommended for those late winter nights.

Beaver/Krause - Gandharva (1971)

Soft/White
Saga of the Blue Beaver
Nine Moons in Alaska
Walkin'
Walkin' By the River
Gandharva
By Your Grace
Good Places
Short Film For David
Bright Shadows

Decent vinyl rip @320kbs (some crackle during the quiet bits)
Get in the Moog here

No comments: