Gum - Vinyl Anthology

Gum
Vinyl Anthology
23five
005

Sometime back in pre-history, around 1986, in a far away, semi-mythological land (Australia), young Andrew Curtis posted an advertisement in a local record shop looking for someone who shared his passion for industrial bands. The ad was answered by an equally young Philip Samartzis and Gum was born. Though both were ardent fans of the music, it didn’t take long to become evident that the trappings and general downcast and glum aura associated with the industrial scene weren’t good fits for their personalities so the two forged on into improvised turntablism, albeit often with rock undertones. A couple of albums and several contributions to various compilations resulted. Those and a few more odds and ends are collected in this handsomely produced, very enjoyable 2-disc set.

Disc One includes the ten tracks originally issued on the “Vinyl” LP as well as two outtakes and a 20-minute live performance from 1987. With a couple of exceptions, the cuts are short, two to four minutes. I continue to have the growing suspicion that there’s something genetic, or something in the water, that causes Australian sound artists to be particularly keen on sonic separation as that aural clarity is heard throughout this set. The very first piece, “Stormy Weather” (no, not that one) leaps into one’s face, a-crackle and roaring, a mass of sound that reveals, upon a moment’s consideration, six or seven layers in play, high to low, foreground to background, like a sliver of Xenakis’ “Bohor”. While not every piece completes the 18 year journey without showing signs of wear, as a whole the performances sound remarkably fresh and works like “Outfits for Agony” (yes, some of the titles betray a bit of youthful indiscretion…) are just stunning in their richness. A distant, pounding drum, multiple strata of flute-like hums, captured CB conversation—all make for a thrilling, very cinematic soundscape. Oddly enough, in some pieces you also get a whiff of Terry Riley’s mid-60s experiments, recalling things from “Mescaline Mix” (not available at the time of this recording). The live track is a kick as well, opening and closing with “Stayin’ Alive”, detouring and rhythmically deconstructing various songs, advertisements and other detritus along the way. After they finish, someone from the crowd shouts, “Play some music!”

The second disc includes several pieces done for compilations (not all accepted) and the contents of Gum’s second album, the felicitously titled, “20 Years in Blue Movies and Yet to Fake an Orgasm”. Indeed, the first track features porn dialogue over an increasingly funky backdrop; maybe not the most original idea—even then—but still pulled off with enough glee to work. The highlight here, for me, is “Okefenokee”, a riveting throe of a piece from 1990 (late period Gum), all whooshes and chitters whirling about over a freight yard full of shuddering rumbles. A massively impressive slab of sound. The 20-minute “Banning” is just a single-minded yet multi-faceted machine, brutally gouging a path through the rubble, eventually joined by frenetic drums and bells. Yoshihide and Tetreault achieved this kind of intensity a couple of times last time I caught them; hard to imagine any other turntable tag-team doing so. The final selection is Gum’s most blatant allusion to their industrial rock roots, working off a loose cover of Throbbing Gristle’s “Blood on the Floor”, quickly appropriating the beat and chorus and basically going nuts rocking out with them. Nerds on the loose! It’s great fun and a rollicking way to tie up what is, in total, an excellent, ear-opening look into the early career of Samartzis, one of today’s most rewarding sonic adventurists (Curtis, according to the fine liner notes by Jim Haynes, has returned to his first love, photography). Highly recommended.

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~ Brian Olewnick