A review of "The Ghost of Georges Bataille" by Drew McDowall & Hiro Kone

When the focus of one’s release is "the sentiment of death as productive force", there must be an ongoing respect of the source material, deeply felt, at the heart of the work. McDowall and Kone are reverent the entire time, perfectly blending their own unique sonic talents and birthing something fragile, nuanced, and draped in shadow.

The Ghost of Georges Bataille is the first recorded collaboration between Drew McDowall (Coil) and Nicky Mao (aka Hiro Kone) and was recorded in only a week, however, anyone thinking that wasn't ample time to craft something genuine or compelling should think back to that alleged Picasso anecdote.

"Barely Awake" opens with a metallic drone and develops into what could be the last breaths of some dying being, desperate yet also resigned. Death is to be feared, but it may not be an end.
"Dreaming Is Nursed In Darkness" thrums and fizzles with odd, alien vocalizations before a beat makes itself known. Then jagged, icy programming delivers a fantastic sense of dynamism.
"Bright Kiss of Fire" is dark and cavernous, tense and anxious.
The centerpiece of Ghost, "Violence’s Detour", maintains a solemn, dour beauty. Warmth washes over the listener for a bit before a stuttering, broken beat kicks in, adding chaos and unrest.

"Not for the casual listener" stands alone as a sort of warning at the bottom of a paragraph in the album's press release. While I wholeheartedly agree with that, I can't help but think maybe if more "casual listeners" took their time to sit with and take in work of this calibre, they'd be less "casual".
The Ghost of Georges Bataille is a sepulchral triumph, meaningful and arresting, and, hopefully, the first of many collaborations between McDowall and Kone.

End of the Month Music Bitchfest - February 2018

Nine Inch Nails
Two really odd developments...neither having to do with new NIN music.
The first is this blog that was recently discovered...in a nutshell, either Trent Reznor is plagiarizing from the blog of an unmedicated schizophrenic for material for these new EPs or there's a really weird ARG that was started in 2011 for the EPs just recently released.
Read way too much about it here.
Also, some source tapes of projections from Nine Inch Nails' Fragility v1.0 tour have surfaced on eBay.
And the circumstances are shady as all hell.
Read way too much about that here.

Eels
I'm having trouble not hearing David Brent singing the new Eels track...I do not like that. It's a bit fluffy and sort of blandly optimistic...verging on a bit naive...I think seeing where this fits in the whole will give it more weight.
Context is always important with Eels, but an artist's work standing on its own is also important.

They Might Be Giants
The only thing of note this month is the video for "Push Back The Hands". Which is awesome.

There's also something which is just astounding and I shouldn't talk about it, so I won't. Suffice it to say...my friend and I have one of the rarest...if not the rarest...piece of TMBG historic memorabilia in existence.
Sorry.
Moving on.

Since my life is nothing but an accumulation of disappointment and upcoming release dates for various types of media, I decided to distract myself from this devastating fact and my horrid existence by listening to a bunch of Autechre last month. Something about all that dissonance and chaos acts as a balm for the screaming void that is my mind...

Move of Ten was where I jumped in and I bounced around from there. Before Chiastic Slide came out in 1997, those boys were actually making some pretty mellow stuff. Since then though, ah...all the sqwarky blizz... I need to keep going and maybe I'll share a playlist of my findings with "you". One thing is for sure though, "pce freeze 2.8i" is the perfect intro music for a techno-organic villain. One with swagga.

Then there's that new Prince song that Janelle Monae released....damn I miss Prince.
As far as Monae, I think I like who she is and what she represents more than the music she's made. My friend gave me ArchAndroid and I didn't love it, although I recognized that it was something special. I like The Audition better. Haven't really given Electric Lady a spin yet. But I will.
To me, she's more pioneering than Kanye West without all the rambling idiocy and ego. I could see her and Beck collaborating and not interrupting each other's award acceptances, you know?

This month I shall be reviewing the new Eels and the collaboration between Drew McDowall and Hiro Kone, The Ghost of Georges Bataille.

March 2018 also marks 20 years as an active They Might Be Giants fan*. Something I owe solely to Will Pomerantz and my own impeccable taste in music and penchant for imprinting. I wrote a little thing. And will publish it here. So...hahahahaha...so you all...hahahahahaha...can read it...hahahahahaha.
Oh, silly.

I also sent my first rough EP of original "music" off to a dude at a tiny label to check out. I'll let you know when nothing happens.

* Since hearing them on Tiny Toons in the early 90's but not understanding what I was hearing, I've been a passive fan.