Flat-out Fantastic 2: Another View

graphite & putty eraser/30x20cm

And so to a drawing processed from the reverse view of the 'roadkill' drink can as featured in the preceding post, again a composition of accidental folds that appear to neatly resolve themselves into a reformed low-relief object characterized by a lightly yet much-faceted surface which, represented through the drawing process, somewhat compromises a clear reading of the branded design as would be originally intended before the object-as-container fell out of use & a victim to being thoughtlessly discarded in the contemporary manner.

Soundtrack:


Elliott Smith 'XO' (first left) & 'Either/Or' (far right)
The Woodentops 'Giant'
The Chasms 'Advance Paranoia, Advance'

Enjoying a more profound reacquaintance with the music of Elliott Smith - the more expansive arrangements & Beach Boyesque harmonies of 'XO' & the earlier pared-down softly-striking melancholy beauty of 'Either'/Or', which at times so perfectly illustrates the position Elliott's songs occupied between mid-period Beatles - think 'We Can Work It Out' for example - & Nirvana, providing the something of the missing link between, quite delightfully.

'Giant', being the enduring Woodentops'/Rolo McGinty masterpiece, is one of those summer classics, rich with irresistible songs & exquisite acoustic-electric arrangements, magically packaged in Pani Charrington's stylized forest tableau design, ever a much-loved favourite for the completeness of its aesthetic, a most welcome place to revisit.

And The Chasms - featuring, it transpires, a certain blissblogging & man of many talents Mr Simon Reynolds on the bass guitar*, which rumbles mightily throughout, establishing the minimalistic rhythmic foundations over which treble-rich buzz-saw effect-laden guitar in particular is overlaid in abundance to create an impressively physical edifice of noise, raw & live, an exhilarating experience redolent of such post punk reference points as, for example, the PiL of much of their 1st LP & 'Poptones' from 'Metal Box', the repetitively-driving juggernaut of The Fall (not least in the occasional northern-tinged vocal interventions), Warsaw-era Joy Division, the Cabaret Voltaire of 'Nag Nag Nag', 'Western Mantra' & 'Red Mask', Sonic Youth & such a now (& even then!)-obscure name, dredged up from the dark recesses of the memory, as Rema-Rema.
A most interesting addition to the minimalist music canon, especially in its more brutalist guitar & drums aesthetic, harking back to The Velvet Underground & US 60s garage bands (The Chasms being, apparently, on a grander scale, a 'barn' band - most fitting to accommodate the expanse of their noise!) when one might consider the concept to be characterized more often by electronica.
I'm hoping a recently-posted comment from 'Richard' was The Chasms' guitar hero Quirk of that name (putting me in mind, incidentally, of no less a personage than CabVolt's guitarist-plus Richard H Kirk) - it's a pleasure & an honour indeed.


Postscript 11/07/09

(* oh no they don't!)

A Correction:

Many thanks to Simon for his comment, not least for correcting my erroneous assumption as to his identity: the bass-playing member of The Chasms is actually Spoilt Victorian Child of the record label, under which guise he formerly blogged, bringing excellent & fascinating music to the masses.
Apologies for the confusion & misinformation.