The Boxhead Ensemble - The Last Place to Go
Atavistic
I really don't know what to say about this disc beyond recommending whole heartedly. I got my hands round this as the result of a show that I saw on the terrace at the University of Wisconsin - Madison a couple of months back. After the final note of the evening rang out, the band declared that they have never recorded as group - shit! After getting over that initial burst of disappointment, I realized that members of the group had most likely woked on other projects in the past - and this is one such venture. The story goes as such: Dutch Harbor, a film that had managed to gain a following amongst the European audience, toured around the continent with a group of "avant-garde all-star" musicians in tow. The resulting improv sessions were recorded and subsequently released in this lovely little package. The music included is sparse, but gorgeous. Subtle feedback mixes with oddly timed guitar picking, majestic cello sweeps and seemingly random percussion strikes to create one of my favorite musical acquisitions of recent memory. I know this sounds like some unscrupulous A&R guy spouting off about his new signing, but really, this is quietly brilliant piece of music that I can't recommend enough.
Brian Gettler: 15 June 2001 (11:36 CST)