Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Overhang Party - 4 (1998)



The seven tunes on 'OP 4' comprise about an hour's worth of both vocal tunes and sound experiments. "Kizashi" is an interesting study of repeating patterns (I hesitate to call it 'drone' music, as it has a far different feel compared to US drone artists), which is readressed later in "Barcelona." The application of bouncy bass (such as it is, given the band has no actual bass player) and percussion is what gives their drones a unique character. "Le Few Follet," on the other hand, sounds like ballroom music from the WWII era (our side). Here, bandleader/guitarist Rinji Fukuoka shows off some of his other abilities with a pleasant violin melody during the "bridge." "Then the Ship was Sunk" is a very peculiar piece of majestic Highlander (or Celtic) music, with Fukuoka's guitar coming across more like bagpipes. Later on though, the pace picks up and OP charge into an excellent blanga-style jam colored by more violin soloing. "Mirror" is another layered march-like tune with duet vocals that works well, and shows off Fukuoka's nimble fretwork. The finale, "G House Blues" is pure, unadulterated noise... 12 minutes of very bright and dissonant buzz-guitar and crazed violin.

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