http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Wed, 23 Oct 2002 23:13:01 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. 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Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/10/23/231301.php Kevin Gregoriusofficial bootleg is their first live album to date, their effort to "put an end to low quality, overpriced recordings which do not represent the vision of [Neurosis'] music," is at once both amazing and, to a minor extent, disappointing.The first time I heard Neurosis was in the late Spring or early Summer of 1992. I was lying down in the back of some station-wagonish car -- the seats being otherwise occupied. I was travelling with a group of friends from Lincoln to Grand Island, Nebraska, to see a punk rock show at a skate park featuring the band Slide, arguably the only hardcore punk band in the area at that time. Joel Gibson, the drummer, was driving the automobile in question and was blasting Neurosis' third album, "Souls At Zero", at top volume for the duration of the trip. Being relatively isolated from the others in the car -- making it difficult to participate in conversation -- the only thing I could do was lie there and listen to this music that was, honestly, scaring the bejeezus out of me. Over the next few years, after the initial shock had worn off, I learned to not only love the music, but to appreciate Neurosis for the creative force of genius that they are. Because I have never witnessed Neurosis live in concert, I could barely contain my excitement when I noticed the release of this live album.official bootleg.01... is the first in a series (!!!) of "specially priced quality recordings of neurosis' live performances." The series (!!!) is designed to "put an end to low quality, overpriced recordings which do not represent the vision of [Neurosis'] music." Aside from this brief statement, that appears on the back of the album, there is no information regarding planned future releases on either the Neurosis homepage or the Neurot Recordings homepage. Judging from the length of the album (approx. 57 minutes), this is (or appears to be) an entire concert (as opposed to selected concert snippets).As for the nitty gritty ... the album is at once both amazing and, to a minor extent, disappointing. In my experience, most bands must be seen and heard in concert simply because the live dynamic and energy are nigh impossible to recreate in the studio. Additionally, live performances provide the opportunity for improvisation ... one concert never really sounds the same as any other. In the case of Neurosis, the studio recordings are so powerful that I never imagined a live concert would add any intensity. Here, the only noticeable difference from the studio recordings is sonic/acoustic. The mix isn't as perfect, it's incredibly loud, and the venue "shapes" the overall sound. In addition, Neurosis use a lot of keyboard sampling in their music and incorporate a film/video presentation into their live show. As a result, the songs must be carefully structured leaving little (if any) room for improvisation. This isn't, of course, just a louder version of previously recorded songs mixed imperfectly. It's a deafening, laudable experience will enrapture fans and (likely) confuse or terrify the unitiated.The concert opens with "The Doorway" from the Times of Grace album, an 8- minute non-stop assault. If you haven't been pummeled into submission midway through, you aren't listening. Thankfully, the band gives you a little time to breathe as the feedback and "sound manipulation" bleed into "Lost", my personal favorite from the album Enemy of the Sun, before the pummeling begins anew. From the opening bars, this song alone is worth the price of the album. The (relatively) minimal instrumentation during the first verse give full effect to the echoing vocals -- you can almost feel the despair and dissatisfaction dripping out of the microphone.Song #3 is "An Offering" from the Sovreign EP -- an absolutely brutal tune, followed by "Away" (Times of Grace), the only real respite given to listeners. Admittedly, I have never really paid much attention to this song until purchasing this album. Aside from the last few minutes, it's very quiet and generally out of character for this band. On the other hand ... when the instruments start pounding in unison as the word "away" is screamed repeatedly, a sinister satisfaction sets in. More feedback runs into the fifth song, "Locust Star" from the album Through Silver In Blood. It's not the best song on that album, but it works here. The closing song is "Times of Grace," and by the time it stops you're either physically exhausted, emotionally drained, or both.Again, I don't believe this album (or this series) will reach a very wide audience. Occasional listeners are unlikely to find this a necessary addition to their collection, and non-fans simply won't like it. This is for the die-hards, new and old, and they will love it. My only complaint is that there are no songs from any of the first three albums, a problem that will hopefully be remedied in subsequent releases. Ultimately, Neurosis is a band that cannot be adequately described...after multiple revisions I still think this review fails miserably. This music must be heard to be believed. For the non-believers, however, this album isn't really an appropriate introduction. Written by Kevin Gregorius of No Matter What You Heard. Music1484@blogcritics.org Wed, 23 Oct 2002 23:13:01 EDT