Djam Karet - Still No Commercial Potential


Year of Release: 1998
Label: self-releases
Catalog Number: HC009
Format: CD
Total Time: 70:32:00

This latest release by Djam Karet, Still No Commercial Potential starts off with slow burning guitar led track entitled "No Vacancy At The Hotel of Noise." Guitar led is somewhat of a misrepresentation, because the simple drum rhythm sticks with you long after the track has ended. And throughout I found I was tapping to the same rhythm.

Which is both good and bad, as the next track begins with a subtle ambient passage which continues under another memorable drum rhythm.

This release is a limited edition of 750 containing six tracks of improvised Djam Karet, the longest of which is the closer "Strange Wine From A Twisted Fruit" at nearly 29 minutes. Not uncommon, of course, in progressive music.

This is more acoustic, more stripped down than last year's The Devouring. The pace here is more leisurely, more introspective.

"Twilight In Lonely Lands" (the second track) has a very "World Music" feel to it - which means, of course, that the rhythm track has overtones of either Native American or Aboriginal or African influences. But would we say that about any instrumental track that has drums up front, in a very non-pyrotechnic manner?

The now almost ubiquitous didgeridoo makes an appearance here as well, on the atmospheric "The Black Line". This track brings to mind this image: all alone on a crisp, clear, pitch black night where the only light is from the pinprick of stars. In the distance you can hear these sounds - frogs and other water creatures gurgling, some strange animal (the didgeridoo) calling out in the night. When the percussion makes its appearance - sounds like kettle drums though I suspect either digitally produced or some other percussive instrument - you come to realize you aren't alone, but that you are part of some activitiy - almost ceremonial.

"Night, But No Darkness" picks up the pace a bit with its anxious rhythms, guitars skreech quietly here, though with frantic intensity. Not one to listen to if you're a little jumpy, as this will only highten it. This is what confused fear sounds like. Actually, with a title like "Night, But No Darkness" one can image that the jitteriness of the track is similar to what those in climes north enough to have 24 hours of sunlight go through about halfway through that long period.

This is a very interesting album to listen to, well worth repeated listenings, as one can discover new things each time. As with nearly all - if not all - of Djam Karet's releases, this one comes highly recommended.

[The Fall/Winter 1998 (#29) issue of Progression has an interview with Djam Karet, circa the release of The Devouring. -ed.]


Tracklisting:
No Vacancy At The Hotel of Noise (7:04) / Twilight In Lonely Lands (7:10) / Room 24, Around Noon (8:41) / The Black Line (10:01) / Night, But No Darkness (8:09) / Strange Wine From A Twisted Fruit (28:51)

Musicians:
Gayle Ellett - guitar, e-bow, organ, percussion
Mike Henderson - guitars, e-bow
Chuck Oken, Jr. - drums, digital keyboards, percussion
Henry J. Osborne - bass, didgeridoo, percussion

Discography:
No Commercial Potential (1985) (Out-of-print)
Kafka's Breakfast (1987) (Out-of-print)
The Ritual Continues (1989)
Reflections In The Firepool (1989)
Burning The Hard City (1991/2000)
Suspension and Displacement (1991/2000)
Collaborator (1994)
The Devouring (1997)
Still No Commerical Potential (1998)
Live at Orion (1999)
New Dark Age (2001)
Ascension (2001)
#1 (2001) (via band only)
#2 (2001) (via band only)
Afghan: Live At The Knitting Factory (2001) (via band only)
A Night For Baku (2003)
Live At NEARfest 2001 (2004)
No Commercial Potential (expanded) (2004)
Recollection Harvest (2005)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: April 10th 1999
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.djamkaret.com
Hits: 2753
Language: english

  

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