Shoe String Symphonettes

Briefly enough, I hope, if you are looking to become acquainted with the intelligent, envelope-pushing music of the last decade, this would be the place to start. Going through amazon.com links from the musicians and songs on this album that appealed to me was very rewarding. The music is brilliant and varied, coming from one damn serious composer who seems to be raiding every treasure in sight from the last 50 years to build startling and often sublime scores that are each exquisitely performed. I can't say enough about the value of this CD. From the Aelita Suites (which are cut-ups of tried and true 20th century serious and the cabaret songs of 70 years ago) to the one brief surf song to the exquisite guitar works, orchestral compostions (violins, bass, trumpet, some woodwinds, percussion) and the one great Cuban track included, this CD has some of the most subtle blendings of instrumentation imaginable, almost always spare, sometimes jarring, sometimes funny, and VERY often beautiful beyond compare. After several listens and 8 months of owning it, I would definitely call this the most valuable new find for me in 15 years.If 20th century serious isn't your favorite, I'd recommend being patient through the first 2 or 3 tracks, but after that, you'll get everything. I first heard Ribot live at the Knitting Factory in '96 with his Shrek band, which impressed me as his having done to punk what jazz did to the blues. Ribot's own guitar work is stunning, and his range as both composer and guitarist borders on the unbelievable. There's lots of Ribot and the creative music of the new millenium to fathom, and thanks to amazon.com and other on-line stores, you don't have to live in a cultural center (THANK God!!!!!!) to find it and enjoy it. If you have settled tastes in this area, you don't need my comments; but if you're tempted, if you've gotten this far and are hesitant, like I was, you really owe it to yourself to buy this and experience what's going on. Ribot is a genius.

Dentro del sello Tzadik este disco pareciera un típico encuentro con el avant garde, es decir con algo pesado y por lo general realmente incomprensible -aceptémoslo, suenan bien esos trabajos pero reto a quien realmente los entienda-, mas no me parece lo mismo con Marc Ribot. El disco cumple con lo que promete al principio. Es un disco radicalmente ecléctico y furiosamente lleno de muy buenas ideas -así como se menciona en el disco, los ritmos por los que pasa van desde el surf y la música cubana hasta, a momentos me diera la impresión, música à la Cage o Mori. A Marc Ribot lo he escuchado sobre todo con Tom Waits y John Zorn, mas lo que aquí ofrece, para ser un producto de su propio esfuerzo compositivo, me parece más que excelente. La pieza con la que abre el disco, "Looks like hell", me pareció un facsímil de la música de John Zorn y toda esa escuela que se derive o de la que se deriva él, pero el resto de las composiciones me parecen bastante originales, y algunas hasta bastante divertidas, como "Aelita suite III". Si alguien busca un disco avant garde, bastante bueno, no tan presuntuoso, y más que asimilable, creo que esta es una muy buena opción.

there is quite a variety of sound splashed on this disc. cheerful cuban horns, music for cartoons you might invent in your head, music for films you might care to invent, as well; music for all the weird dreams you will eventually be having, beautiful acoustic guitar music, music for gentle, peaceful dreams, which hopefully you can put to use in a night coming soon. spazzy music. threatening music. beserk music. carnival music on lsd, marching band music on lsd... you get the idea. lots of stuff hear for the adventurous seekers of instrumental sounds. i like it.

The hard work and skill of Marc Ribot is spelled out in every song of this album. I'm npt an avant-garde fan but got used to the far out plunkity tunes that he composed. Aside from these, Ribot gives a demonstration of vast musical creativity. The tunes where he lays back with a mysterious horn as well as the 60's surf/rock jams make an outstanding collage of tastes that can not be looked over. I love it and wish there was more of it. Give me more, I'm still hungry.