Candlesnuffer - Apsomeophone/Morpho - Morpho

Lexicon Devil
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Both of these projects involve the Australian guitarist/composer David Brown, Candlesnuffer being a solo project while Morpho is his duo with David Wadleton. Both are also, if I’m not mistaken, a bit over a year old and have been reviewed positively by, among others, our own Dan W. on his site. Nonetheless, they only just arrived in my little grubbies and even if they’re not exactly my cuppa, I thought they’re worth bringing to the attention of those who missed them the first go round.

“Apsomeophone”, and more so, “Morpho”, have a strong cinematic aesthetic. The first overall impression is that of the jump cut, the abrupt and canny splice. Admittedly, my initial thought was, “Zorn”, but any more than a cursory listen reveals much more of musical interest occurring and only a smattering of irony. A piece of Brown’s, one that’s reprised here (“Voices of the Air Shaft”), appeared on the “Grain” compilation (Dorobo Limited Editions, 2002) though in somewhat more abstract guise. There we heard, true to its title, an eerie mix of whistling drones and random clatter but when “spooky” vocals and horror film orchestral samples appeared, you had an inkling where Brown might be headed. In the newer version, Brown’s guitar is more prominent and the sonic separation clearer, its blocks of sound accumulating impressively as the piece expands, the sense of menace growing. It’s a fine piece, perhaps my favorite on the disc, the quick shifts reading as essential to the work’s conception. The prevalence of the guitar, and its tendency toward rockish voicings, is what has one initially thinking of things in the tradition of “Spillane” but structurally, there’s far more of Pierre Henry here than Zorn, which is to the good. Brown has worked with Philip Samartzis (who helped out with technical matters on this recording) and you get the sense the latter’s amazing ear for pure sonics has rubbed off some. Pieces like the opening “Were Holes Mended?” can be luxuriated in for the sound alone—the massive, wooden creakings especially. This is one where listening on headphones provides some extra treats. “Apsomeophone” (no, I can’t figure it out either) is a good, finely textured disc, worth hearing and imagining the accompanying films.

Dr. Jim’s Records
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With “Morpho”, the B-movie (and lower) soundtrack freaks burst freely out into the open and here, if one were to hit on late 80s bands like Wayne Horvitz’ The President or Bobby Previte’s more rock-oriented enterprises, I can’t say you’d be far off. The first track, “Surf, Instrumentals and Exploitation”, with thundering, deep drums and fuzz-drenched wah-wah is a chunk of sonic candy that’ll be rotting your ears for days. I’m not certain as to its ultimate healthy aspects but can’t deny its juggernaut qualities. While a couple other cuts live up to that degree of calorie-laden intensity (“Mondo Freaky Wonderland” and “Burning Rubber and Cheap Perfume”—you get the idea, yes?--especially), many of the others hover in an area perhaps better explored by the Barry Adamson’s of the world. That early 80s feel is also heard in “Dennis Wilson’s Hygienic Library” where there’s more than a whiff of Rhys Chatham, albeit mixed with traces of Peter Gunn. As with Candlesnuffer, the music sounds pretty fantastic and I can easily imagine it floating the boat of any number of listeners. It may not be quite where my own ears are attuned to these days, but those folks who enjoy any of the artists cited above, by all means, dig in.

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Dr. Jim’s Records