Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
proof on survival , 31 Mar 2007
TG's renewed mission for the 21st century has a sound design of blissful wintery sadness, churning enchantment and some great, open-hearted singing from Genesis. Its groovier than the last Massive Attack album, and more satisfying than Kraftwerk's comeback. Fascinating and weirdly wise.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing Here Now But The Recordings, 5 April 2007
When I was first contacted about a new T.G. album, my first impulse was to ignore it, so as to not sully the (THEE?!) memories of a truly great and influential group. Would they go "Old School", or try to be "modern" - for "the kids"? Would these artists of "advanced age" (I am among that number, so I can say that!) embarrass themselves by trying to regain the aggression of their youth? My curiosity got the best of me, and within a couple of hours I couldn't resist the urge to download it.
It's 2007 and T.G. have released a great album, holding it's own amongst the first four. In fact they never missed a beat. They move forward, using modern technology, not attempting to ape 1982, and yet still sounding like Throbbing Gristle. They all bring to the table their differing personalities and talents. Gen is still a writer capable of transcending and has a command of his voice, messing with your ear hole at will. Chris Carter has composed layers of subtle and amazing sounds and rhythm that reveal themselves more upon each listen. The washes and stabs of noise and effects that (I'm assuming) Cosey and Peter are adding are stunning, and take it to that next level. There is no pose here, no signs of cashing in, and no compromise evident. This Gristle is Throbbing without need of Viagra.
I'll tell you that when I've attempted to listen to the old T.G. music over the years, dragging out the vinyl, buying the CD re-issues, etc., I have been disappointed. The world has changed, I had changed and those albums just didn't move me anymore. So much of their philosophy and modus operandi has been co-opted, used and diluted through the years, but as it turns out, these four people can still get together and make a racket that stops me dead in my tracks.
I just ordered the limited edition CD, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm having a hard time trying to talk myself out tracking down the other three totems! I'm a 46 year-old "soccer dad" and goofy for T.G. again. ...The old man smiled...
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
TG return, 4 April 2007
It was quite surprising that Throbbing Gristle decided to reform in 2004 for a few festival appearances, a performance at the Astoria & the 'TG NOW' e.p. The mission, after all, had been terminated in 1981 when things appeared to have been getting predictable, the band members afterwards releasing material as Psychic TV, Chris & Cosey, & Coil. Recorded 2004/2005 and much delayed for reasons that still aren't apparent, 'Part Two - The Endless Not' is the first TG studio material since mini-album 'Journey Through a Body' (though some might cite 1980's live-in-the-studio performance 'Heathen Earth' or the Jarman-soundtrack 'In the Shadow of the Sun').
'TG NOW' was quite extreme, all of the songs pushing ten-minutes in duration, suggesting that TG were as unforgiving as ever in their pursuit of boundaries. The limited edition 'Live at Camber Sands' performance from 2004's 'Nightmare Before Christmas' amusingly featured material from 'TG Now' (a version of 'X-Ray', 'Almost Like This', 'Splitting Sky') and several songs from this album, rather than plumping for old chestnuts! The versions of 'Greasy Spoon' here makes much more sense than the 'Camber Sands' take; while 'Almost a Kiss' is a refined take on 'Almost Like This' - as gorgeous and melancholic as a PTV song like 'Just Drifting and alongside DOA's 'Weeping', one of their most touching moments. Kind of unexpected!
This album is recognisably TG straight away, opener 'Vow of Silence' opening with some churning electronics and a cut-up delivery of those fantastic whining vocals from Genesis P-Orridge. Who else could this be? - within one song they have reminded us of all the electronic acts they've influenced and gone one better - the displeasure expressed by MOR hack Nick Hornby over TG lately suggests that they must be doing something right. & it's still art!!; speaking of which, what is one to do with the 'totemic gift' enclosed in the cd box? Cosey Fanni Tutti's lead guitar sounds fantastic as manipulated by Chris Carter and Peter Christopherson, as do the moaning vocals and drones, in a way the band tapping back into the holy noise of 'Mission of Dead Souls.'
The new TG, same as the old TG, and at the same time, nothing like themselves. 'Rabbit Snare's jazz style will throw anyone expecting the electronic-industrial sound - another genre that has been thoroughly Gristled. Tutti's Cornet adds to the noise, though the jazz sounds a lot more proficient than it did on '20 Jazz Funk Greats' and 'Heathen Earth.' P-Orridge intones, "Why are you scared?...Are you scared?" over and over. It's disturbing and lovely and sounds like the jazzy outings of David Sylvian gone wrong.
'Separated' is a composition by Chris Carter, whose 'The Space Between' remains one of the great lost electronic albums, it makes stuff like The Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada seem very standard. The nine-minute plus epic 'Greasy Spoon' is a track that like 2004's 'Splitting Sky' has some elements of their early classic 'Hamburger Lady' - as did parts of Scott Walker's album 'the Drift' last year (parts of 'Clara' and a lot of 'Buzzers' - was that the Balkan one?). I guess like 'the Drift', certain Neubauten and much TG, this album will feel to some like a record with good bits, rubbish bits, scary bits, great bits, and the like. This is probably the way TG record, as I always say, "All TG is good TG, even when it's rubbish..." 'Greasy Spoon' has strange vocal noises on, sounds like a plane crashing through the sky, stomach churning electronics, demented bleeps, and a wall of feedback. Like 'Hamburger Lady' it appears to have pretty much every side of TG in one handy song!!!
'Lyre Liar' continues the ambience of 'Greasy Spoon', drill like drum rhythms, walls of sound and then a great combination of Tutti's guitar and P-Orridge's droning vocals. This is just like TG - if you want the poppier side of P-Orridge, 'Almost a Kiss' apart, you'll have to wait for the new Psychic TV album 'Hell is Invisible, Heaven is Her/e.'
'Above the Below' is a composition by Cosey Fanni Tutti, the album recalls 'DOA' with the four seperate members contributing 'solo' tracks. Tutti's sounds very similar to the upcoming material from Carter-Tutti, which I guess is obvious? 'The Worm Waits Its Turn' is P-Orridge's contribution, its title nodding to a pre-COUM/TG work that he's apparently going to re-release at some point in the future. Co-written with Bryin Dall, it has some great chanting backing vocals from Gen, a techno-rhythm that Autechre or Squarepusher would kill for, and sounds like TG, and a little like parts of PTV's 'Dreams Less Sweet' (which did feature half of TG). It even gets a bit hip-hop towards the end beatwise! The final track is 'After the Fall', an ambient piece by Peter Christopherson - a perfect closing track that sounds like an elegy, the title suggests it is both a reference and tribute to the late Geoff Balance of Coil/PTV who sadly died in a fall at his home a few years ago (it fits quite well with the e.p. material Coil have released posthumously). This complements the other Balance tribute on the 'Camber Sands' album - a poem from Gen that lead into a remodelled 'What a Day' with bursts of 'Lazy Sunday' in. Stunning...
The sole track not mentioned thus far is another standout, the title track 'The Endless Not', which sounds like a deranged take on the recent territory of Sparks ('Lil' Beethoven', 'Hello Young Lovers'). There's something else going on with Gen's vocals, I think this doesn't sound as bad as people think TG would sound cos of their reputation! I must admit, I've only had this album a few days, but it gets better and better with every play and was everything I could have hoped for! TG are back, and unlike peers like The Fall, they have managed to make a record worthy of their name. I guess the ideal compliment to this is the new solo album by Suicide's Alan Vega?
TG are back, though I don't know how much of 'Part Two - The Endless Not' will get played at their upcoming performances that will conclude all TG activity later this year. Don't worry though, these performances should hopefully get a release, and then there's the TG DVD box set due, as well as some more posthumous Coil material, the new PTV3 album, and a Carter-Tutti record. In the meantime, 'Part Two - The Endless Not', recorded 2004/2005, slated for release in 2006, and my album of the year in 2007.
TG Forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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