Cassette
Latest dispatches from Jon Collin's ever-dependable Early Music camp. Nearly Almost is another Collin vehcile in fact, an improvised, self-declared 'no-chops' trio making strange noise together. This is perhaps as wilfully experimental and free-form as we've heard Collin in quite some time, the impulse here seemingly to make a little joyful klang, bang and drone in the presence of likeminded folk. Why not! And in honesty, this is the very reason the man has his own label, to journey where one desires. Is there any better reason? Amen to that. By contrast, Old Yellow Serpent is the work of long-time collaborators Edwin R. Stevens and dbh, though also their first as a duo. We get 80 minutes of long-form guitar and fiddle folk-blues-drone rock n swirl that lands in classic Early Music territory and displays somewhat of an affinity with the New Haven/C Site universe just across the water (though I'd not be surprised if you were to tell me Old Yellow Serpent were American, such is the tradition being channelled here). Both are, of course, beautifully presented objects that do great service to the music contained within. JC and EM keeping the bar set high without even seeming to be trying.
FFO: Jon Collin, Stefan Christensen, Mountain Movers, Loren Connors
