June 23, 2004

Gamelan Son of Lion | Bending the Gending |Self Release | USA

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The title of their CD, Bending the Gending, refers to the playful, freethinking approach the group applies to composing and playing gending, or gamelan musical pieces. This is a really exciting group of composers and performers who master traditions but refuse to be mastered by them.

June 13, 2004

Kokeshi Doll | Pirukorui |Benten | Japan

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Kokeshi Doll put on one of the best shows I've seen in 2004 when they played Chicago recently. Their dark and dramatic style of noise rock was riveting onstage but I was unsure how it would survive the translation into ones and zeroes--putting across on disc the band's extreme dynamics and Naomi Okuyama's vocal theatricality would be no small feat. But from the opening notes of Pirukorui it's clear that Kokeshi Doll explore the studio with the same confidence and mastery they exhibit live.

June 02, 2004

Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. | Live at the Abbey Pub Chicago |Alien8 | Japan

You never hear Acid Mothers Temple mentioned in the same breath as Stateside bands like Phish and String Cheese Incident. But they should be. Because AMT are a hippie jam band. They're the first to admit it. In fact, everything about them screams it. Their show last Friday at Chicago's Abbey had all the fixins: endless guitar wanking, cultish fans, dutiful concert tapers and--for the non-fanatic--that nagging question that manages to overpower the high stage volume: "Am I missing something?"