Jazkamer: Balls The Size Of Texas, Liver The Size Of Brazil
CD - Purplesoil, Czech Republic- 2007 - Pulse Zero Four

Reviews:

Jazkamer, "Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil"

The latest release from Norway's hungriest noise composers is comparatively a more subdued affair, and it is much more subtle than its boisterous title would have one to believe. John Hegre and Lasse Marhaug present a noteworthy combination of heavily controlled guitar feedback and studio treatments characterize the work as a whole, but each piece is very different from the next.

Opener "God Damn This Ugly Sound" is less an exercise in composition and more in locating, as it is a six-minute excerpt from a medical record documenting the sounds of various diseases. The rest isn't as obtuse, as it segues nicely into the looping guitar feedback and shrill squeal of "Blues for Sterling Hayden," which could easily be an exercise in sheer noise blast, but is instead a carefully controlled track that demonstrates just how subtle the duo can be, even under such 'extreme' conditions. Structurally similar is "A Bucket of Mayo," which is built out of feedback fragments and the warm crunch of vinyl surface noise.

Marhaug can't help but show his noise chops he has honed in his solo career, and "Not Half Bad to the Bone" demonstrates his penchant for explosive bassy blasts, yet lurking under the crunch are some subtle, melodic tones that the average band wouldn't have bothered with. The ending series of false starts from a live band is a nice touch as well. "Tentacles of Broken Teeth" is somewhat reminiscent of Marhaug's recent collaboration with Nils Henrik Asheim on Touch, all massive, cavernous reverbs and expansive metallic drones, but here a bit more harsh and distortion oriented.

The centerpieces of the disc are the two massive lengths tracks—the aforementioned "Blues for Sterling Hayden" and the title track—the latter being a more controlled affair of synth tones feedback, and even a bit of dark ambience. The long tracks especially show this duo's flair for creating beautifully structured chaos.

Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil cannot neatly be labeled as a 'noise' work, but it certainly has the elements that fans of Marhaug's solo work will enjoy, but enough compositional and structural elements that anyone who understands the appeal of esoteric music would love as well. (Brainwashed.com)

Jazkamer - Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil [Purplesoil - 2007]

This really revels in screwing with your perception of it, firstly the title suggest head-ripping noise or staged and cocky rock, This is neither. Secondly with the Jazkamer name attached to it one would expect a real noisy afair, though there are noise elements here that certainly is not the predominate sound strain .

What the Norwegian duo present us with is a collection eerie, haunted, ambient and cinematic guitar expanse- with traces of electronics and the odd touches of noise matter and other sound elements here & there. The album starts in a very odd and deliberately frustrating manner with an 8 minute dialogue track of a doctor talking about blood pressure - you keep thinking as the doctor details different forms of blood pressure recordings it’s going to explode, but it never does.

Blues For Sterling Hayden is the first musical track building up gloomy guitar loops/ layers, that bring to mind slowly coming awake on a heavy rain winters day. They cleverly building the looped atmosphere adding in little touches of new guitar textures and electronics before by the midway mark drifting into discordant avant rock folds of guitar tone. The album continues in a similar fashion for the rest of it’s running time creating effective and cinematic guitar and ambient scapes ripple with mumbled dialog and minimal electronic textures, theres only one really detour into true noise matter with track five Not half Bad to the Bone. It all builds to the truly haunted and breathtaking emotional 16 minutes title track finale, that echoes out lush and enchanted fold of almost blues come dark county ambience- feeling like watching a eerier but beautiful sunset and the nights cold breath start biting in.

An Effective and atmospheric collection of tracks, which really proves there’s much more to this ever evolving duo than simply noise. A must for those who enjoy perfect honed and atmopshric guitar scapes and emtonal ambience. (Roger Batty, www.musiquemachine.com)

Jakamer - Balls The Size Of Texas, Liver The Size Of Brazil
Not quite the assault that the title might suggest, but this collaboration of Norse legends Lasse Marhaug and John Hegre does continue in the slightly abrasive, yet hypnotically droning guitar both are known for. "God damn this Ugly Sound" sets a jarring tone for the record, where often the titles ("Tentacles of broken Teeth," "A Bucket of Mayo") are more violent than the tunes. No matter. Jazkamer, and the duo in their solo works, have proven they know how to shake some fillings. This more sublte drone explorations make for a soundscape that is deceptively mellow and ponderous, but still sharp as a tack. Marhaug’s guitar creates the center of the universe that drives this model, and, while not as intense or overwhelming as their previous "Panic," it is still a monster showcase for two sound artists how sure do have the balls to play whatever they want. (www.musicemissions.com)

JAZKAMER – balls the size of Texas, Liver the size of Brazil

(CD, purplesoil)

What a lot of people always seem to miss out on when reviewing the music of Jazkamer is the enormous humour of Lasse Marhaug and John Hegre and I do wonder how come? Everyone writing about either of the two or together or any of their works seems to instantly file them academically and re-hash their releases by means of musical theory, which is all fine, but all of this leaves out the fun and the jokes worked into the releases. Just look at the title of this album and you’ll have to admit that they aren’t hiding the jokes nor do they cleverly or subtly sneak them in somewhere.[1] The biggest joke is, in this regard, the trap the two have laid for the “serious journalist” by using a medical lecture about sound-recordings of sick people’s bodies used for diagnostic purposes as first track and introduction to this album. I can’t wait to read the reviews trying to explain the following tracks by this framework. Yes, it is more than just a little joke, but then nothing is to be taken seriously, especially not the earnest things.

The six tracks are very diverse to each other as well. The intro vocal samples got the title “God damn this ugly sound” and then goes into “Blues for sterlin hayden” which has the distorted sound of an electric guitar, doubled and doubled again and working itself into nice wall of sound reminiscent of Loren Mazzacane Connors playing with early Skullflower. This one could go on forever in my opinion but is cut off rather harshly to make place for subtler and softer sounds: “The world is too small” is reduction of sounds, includes vocal samples I can’t decipher and works mainly on its own echo. “Tentacles of broken teeth” is even softer and peruses ambient atmospheres and echoy sounds that flow in a dreamlike, new age rhythmlessness.

Next on we are back in a devilish noise bricollage of bass-heavy distorted sound chaos. “Not half bad to the bone” is like hellhounds barking, people screaming and bass guitars played through broken amps at the same time, and all of that mixed and mangled. Especially the tape-loop manipulations work out finely. Chaos is still a lot of fun. At the end a rehearsal room rock band takes things up, starts to jam this way and that, but then leaves their instruments alone to chat with some people in the far away corner of the room. This track is then “bucked of mayo”. The final and title track is some longwinding guitar-spiel with the echoes and ambient sounds that an electric guitar set up can be worked into. The rhythms are subtle and the sounds, both harsh and soft, flow organically.

Overall the guitar is very much in the fore this time around but it is used in a very distanced way to produce almost ephemeral sounds and structures. This way “balls the size of Texas..:” is really different to a lot of Jazkamer and related releases. A needed and well desired change in direction, even if only a detour for a little while. One for the rainy days, for sure, but also one for the tired eyes and the ears that like to listen in the dark because then there aren’t so many disturbing impressions.

I really can’t say how this release works itself into the overall oeuvre of Jazkammer nor the two protagonists’ other works. “Metal Machine Music” is probably their best known record to date, where everyone said it was about Death Metal and I insisted on it being a consequent re-thinking of Lou Reed’s widely forgotten noise symphony of the same title. Overall “balls the size of Texas…” is a softer and more relaxed record and therefore more important than the other, full blast noise releases. Whatever it is enjoyable on a physical level, and that counts as well.

[1] And I should admit that I, too, have constantly fallen for this, lately on John Hegre’s solo-records (the last being „colours don’t clash“) and others, though I should have known better from interviewing the two of them years ago when they played in Vienna under some kind of Origami-something project and insisted on talking about their homo-erotic love affair, money they made on drug dealing and they joys of doing your duty in the army (which probably includes the first two, but that would lead too far.) (www.monochrom.at/cracked/)

Jazkamer: Balls The Size Of Texas, Liver The Size Of Brazil

Jazkamer deals in the extremes you think you know, as opposed to the ones you hopefully don’t (natural disaster, personal tragedy, mass murder, etc.). It’s a relatively safe zone in which to play – ostensibly the “real men” of layered avant-drone, Boyd Rice excluded. Lasse Marhaug and Jon Hegre don’t take things that far out, in the classical sense, but it seems like they’re willing to let you help them fit into the required harnesses and restraints. XY personified, Jazkamer’s last record Metal Music Machine was a strong, welting response to drone’s slumming slide into black metal, supported by members of Enslaved, and apparently enough to put Marhaug and friend in with Sunn 0))) (they collaborate with one another in the live setting). The approach on Balls is a more diverse selection, with all the imagery and boastfulness its album and song titles may indicate, but also a disjointedness with the filler used to extend the effort past any reasonable length.

Maybe it does take titular, swollen gonads and a filtering organ to kick off a record with seven minutes of unedited, wheezing medical instruction vinyl and sandy run-out groove, appropriately titled “God Damn This Ugly Sound.” But what are the ends of such a drab, effortless decision? Possibly the creation of space, which acts as a buffer between Balls’ more legitimate moments. But again, why? What does the rasp of a poorly-cut locked groove have to do with intense electric guitar dronescrapes, other than to make them stand at attention? Don’t guys like this have better ways to fill a record?

Regardless, it’s a stinging insult to an otherwise strong, if not groundbreaking set. When it works, Jazkamer floors the affair with an authority beyond time and effort. “Blues for Sterling Hayden,” the first original piece on Balls, is the album’s high water mark, a sorrowful torrent of rising volume and uneasy feedback that grows to rip through the canvas, much like the sainted actor of its namesake blustered and crashed into the surf in Robert Altman’s “The Long Goodbye.” It’s a horrifying way to spend 12 minutes, a cluster of white-knuckled chords stretched to breaking that simulates jet engine failure, a sudden drop, and the vulnerabilities within us all … and yet, like that type of incident, you can’t tune out. Cheaper thrills are found in “Not Half Bad to the Bone,” the duo’s paean to the noise that’s No Fun, all recordings of shouting, drum abuse and signal-pinning power moves clustered together in a way that its construction can be heard, right down to its broken anti-climax. Simple beauty forms out of the graceful arcs of the title track and the peaceful, whale-like ballad “Tentacles of Broken Teeth,” moving with the clearly defined strokes of one with the water’s current.

The degree of difficulty here is as high as you’d like it to go, but surprisingly, never higher. Tonally abrupt without its pauses, a good 12 minutes of the album’s runtime are wasted on navelgazing; there’s power here, but only when the performers allow it. Drone ensembles fall prey to how much they’re willing to control; you often hear clean examples (Stars of the Lid, Rameses III) as well as dirty (the Dead C.) that are both successful on their own terms, but rarely do outfits who attempt both in a single statement achieve that success. The tones and textures alone cannot bear the weight of creation imposed by their makers without the presence of some connective tissues, and the links here don’t make the cut. Teased with the possibility of offering us a longer glimpse at “true sound,” Jazkamer jerks hope out from under us and mulls over other options, all of which they are capable of, though none of which last long enough to satisfy. Enabled but not quite able enough, perhaps they should see if there’s any of those “Not as good as Atomizer” stickers still laying around – but don’t get your hopes up, cheese.

By Doug Mosurak (www.dustedmagazine.com)

Jazkamer – Balls the Size of Texas Liver the Size of Brazil
7 skladeb / 51:49, Purplesoil
Norské duo Jazkamer založili v roce 1998 (ješt? pod žánrov? pon?kud zavád?jícím názvem Jazzkammer, od kterého upustili v roce 2004) dva význa?ní p?edstavitelé tamní improviza?ní scény, kytarista a skladatel John Hegre a milovník noiseu, experimentátor Lasse Marhaug. Ob? výrazné osobnosti se mimo spolupráci v tomto projektu v?nují i své sólové hudební ?innosti, ur?it? nejvíce se však proslavili práv? pod hlavi?kou tohoto projektu.

I ti nejotrlejší poslucha?i experimentální elektroniky si pak pod jménem Jazkamer vybaví ty nejnekompromisn?jší nahrávky na poli noiseu, zvukových instalací a surových koncertních improvizací, alespo? co se evropských tv?rc? tý?e (ješt? vyhran?n?jší japonská scéna je totiž úpln? jiná kapitola). Do dnešních chvil mají na svém kont? ?adu alb na CD i v podob? dlouhohrajících i dvanácti palcových vinyl? a jsou vyhledávanými partnery pro r?zná splitová alba ?i kompilace.

Na svém nejnov?jším albu Balls the Size of Texas Liver the Size of Brazil se však p?edstavují p?ece jen v poslucha?sky p?ív?tiv?jší poloze. Na šesti skladbách (nepo?ítám-li úvodní track - záznam z jisté medicínské p?ednášky na téma srde?ní ?innosti a jeho ukázek), po?ízených p?i nejr?zn?jších p?íležitostech na n?kolika místech Norska, nám Jazkamer nabízejí pom?rn? pestrou paletu svého zvukového rejst?íku.

Zatímco ve dvou krati?kých skladbách (The World is Too Small a A Bucket of Mayo) si Jazkamer „jen“ pohrávají s modulací lidského hlasu zasazeného do hlukové st?ny resp. kombinace vinylové smy?ky a chroustavých fieldrecordings, zbývající ?ty?i tracky jsou ukázkou vybroušené kreativity obou obrazoborc?. V pomalu se rozvíjející Blues for Sterling Hayden poddávají „ukrytý“ rockový základ nejr?zn?jším zvukovým úpravám, ve výsledku pak p?ipomínajícím n?které nahrávky na pomezí drone-metalu a experimentální elektroniky, asi nejvíce pak výborné album jednorázového projektu KTL (za nímž jsou skryti Stephen O'Malley z kultovních Sunn O))) a Peter Rehberg).

Typické Jazkamer, plné znervóz?ující hlukové t?íšt? (v záv?ru však op?t s n?kolika metalovými motivy) poznáme v Not Half Bad to the Bone, zatímco ve skladbách Tentacles of Broken Teeth a eponymní Balls the Size of Texas Liver the Size of Brazil, se Hegre s Marhaugem oddávají tak?ka ambientn? pr?zra?ným náladám, evokujícím zasn?ženou polární krajinu, podobnou té, jež je k vid?ní uvnit? p?kn? vyvedeného t?ípanelového digisleeve.

P?estože pro n?které p?íznivce m?že toto album p?sobit jako ur?itý ústup Jazkamer od jejich nekompromisnosti a pro jiné t?eba bude postrádat ur?itý jednotící prvek, jde o výte?nou nahrávku, zatím ur?it? nejvyda?en?jší edi?ní po?in nezávislého pražského labelu Purplesoil, zam??eného p?evážn? na zahrani?ní experimentáln? elektronickou scénu. (www.freemusic.cz/)

Jazkamer :: Balls The Size Of Texas, Liver The Size Of Brazil :: Purple Soil :: 2007
En 2004, Jazzkammer devient Jazkamer afin de prendre ses distance avec la notion de jazz. Formé en 1998 et composé de John Hegre et Lasse Marhaug, ce duo norvégien fait office de référence sur la scène impro/noise internationale, pour s'en convaincre il suffit d'ailleurs de passer en revue leurs diverses collaborations : Merzbow, Maja Ratkje, Kevin Drumm, Mats Gustafsson ou encore Otomo Yoshihide. Après Staalplaat, Xerxes, Smalltown Supersound, Utech, Bottrop-Boy, Groundfault ou encore OHM Records, c'est au tour du label tchèque Purple Soil, de contenir la fougue et les assauts bruitistes du projet Jazkamer.

Résolument beaucoup plus calme (en apparence, car la tension est sous-jacente), ce dernier disque comporte sept titres tous différents. Après quatre premiers morceaux tout en retenue et d'une beauté planante, presque désolante, il fallait s'y attendre : survient alors la gifle bruitiste, histoire de remettre les pendules à la bonne heure ! A l'écoute de ce disque, vous rentrez, c'est certain dans un univers singulier peuplé de paysages ternes et où tout semble immobile, même les guitares pleurent des sons peu engageants, le tout étant recouvert de textures de bruits enregistrées dans le lointain. Un peu comme si vous regardiez un ciel s'assombrir et que vous attendiez l'orage, un déluge de pluie et les premiers éclairs, comme un éxutoire, malheureusement, rien de cela, l'orage passe et le ciel est toujours aussi lourd !

Un disque performance qui ne se réfère à aucune chapelle, si ce n'est celle de la désolation portée à son paroxysme. A noter que le duo a obtenu un prix à Ars Electronica en 2003, pour la coproduction de l’album "Voice" de Maja Ratkje, un autre élixir norvégien qui n'avait comme seule source sonore que la voix de la chanteuse ! (www.sonhors.free.fr)

Jazkamer – Balls the Size of Texas Liver the Size of Brazil
Despite its gorgeous scumf**k title, Marhaug's and Hegre's latest is a mostly quiet and pensative release; maybe not "one for the rainy days [as it actually is today], or when you're longing for the prairie", as they put it, but surely not a vicious beast like their superb and rightly acclaimed "Metal Music Machine". The lengthy guitar-generated drones of the title track are arguably the best track here, and along with track n. 2, "Blues for Sterling Hayden", make this a mainly ambient, even Kranky-style disc. The harsh noise bursts that you'd tend to expect from the duo are limited to the aptly titled "Tentacles of Broken Teeth", and the rest is made of weird medical documentaries ("God Damn This Ugly Sound"), turntable noises, found sounds, etc. Save for the last track, I must admit this is a decent, but not really memorable release, considering the quality level I expect from the Norwegian duo. (www.chaindlk.com)

Jazkamer: Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil
PURPLESOIL

Jazkamer's (Norwegian musicians John Hegre and Lasse Marhaug, previously known as Jazzkammer) Balls The Size Of Texas, Liver The Size Of Brazil perpetuates the bleak style of last year's Panic while also deviating from it. Whereas the material on the 2006 release is presented in a single movement, the new release features seven settings of manipulated spoken word passages (“6A Bucket of Mayo”) and slow-motion guitar drones (“Tentacles of Broken Teeth,” whose whistling tones stretch across immense plains).

Opening an album with seven minutes of doctors discussing and demonstrating the varying sounds of systolic murmurs (muffled beat patterns) (“God Damn this Ugly Sound”) may try some listeners' patience (indeed, two minutes would suffice) but enough good material follows to justify sticking around. The deep gouges of vinyl surface-noise that end the piece effect a nice segue into “Blues for Sterling Hayden,” a twelve-minute, guitar drone exercise dominated by shredded tones, feedback, and dive-bombing effects. For those who like that sort of thing, “Not Half Bad to the Bone” presents a merciless, five-minute noisefest that would do Merzbow proud, but the album's key piece is the sixteen-minute title setting, an epic guitar drone that unfurls glacially in a haunted haze of howling tones, and which comes across like the magisterial spawn of Stars of the Lid and No Pussyfooting's “The Heavenly Music Corporation.” (Textura.org)

Jazkamer
Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil
CD | Purple Soil
2007-04-16 08:28

Man ska inte underskatta folks intelligens men inte heller överskatta den. För att inte sätta griller i huvudet på skivbolagsdirektörer, kollegor och konsumenter valde duon Jazzkammer nyligen att ändra sitt namn till det mindre jazzklingande Jazkamer. Bra idé, för jazz är det då rakt inte tal om på norrmännens nya platta med det långa namnet 'Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil'.

John Hegre och Lasse Marhaug har på sitt samvete åtminstone tjugo fullängdare, tolvor och sjutummare släppta på nästan lika många skivbolag. Och då jag inte hört ens hälften är det svårt att ge något klar och rättvis bild över projektets musikaliska utveckling. Men att det nya alstret ligger nära 'Panic' som förra året kom ut på Bottrop-Boy är nog ett relativt vattentätt påstående.

Den här gången har turen kommit till tjeckiska skivbolaget Purple Soil och resultatet är en fascinerande samling träffsäkra spår med stor spännvidd. Hegres gitarr används flitigt men vi pratar ingalunda om något virtuosspelande i stil med Joe Satriani eller strängrunkande typ Yngwie Malmsteen även om de norska gutterna på vissa spår minst sagt lyckas med att release the fucking fury. Sexsträngaren går varm i ett spår som 'Blues for Sterling Hayden' medan den i titelspåret används for att skapa långa delvis gnisslande passager.

'The World is too Small' och 'Tentacles of Broken Teeth' är kortare lågmälda stycken som visar att Jazkamer även är kompetenta nog att skapa stämningsfull men samtidigt under ytan hotfull musik. 'A Bucket of Mayo' bjuder på två minuter av tyst hummande medan Kerberos släpps lös i noiserökaren 'Not Half Bad to the Moon'.

Lasse Marhaug är välkänd i industri- och noisesammanhang och med sitt Jazkamer tar han tillsammans med sin kollega återigen ett nytt skivbolag i besittning. Efter turnerande i Japan och en rad andra länder hoppas jag bara på ett sommarbesök i vår egen huvudstad. (www.metica.se)

Jazkamer
[ Ðåë³ç ] Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil
[ Ëåéáë ] PURPLESOIL
[ гê ] 2007
[05.06.2007 20:39:48]
Íîðâåçüêèé äóåò, ùî ïèøå ìóçèêó ï³ä ö³ºþ âèâ³ñêîþ, çàéìàºòüñÿ ñâîºþ ñïðàâîþ âæå äàâíî, â³äíåäàâíà ñêîðîòèâøè ïî÷àòêîâó íàçâó Jazzkammer äî íèí³øíüî¿. Öå áóëî çðîáëåíî äëÿ òîãî, àáè ïîçáàâèòèñü àñîö³àö³é ç äæàçîì òà éîãî ñó÷àñíèõ âàð³àö³é.

Ïîâç àëüáîì ç òàêîþ ïðåòåíç³éíîþ íàçâîþ, çâ³ñíî, âàæêî ïðîéòè é íå çâåðíóòè æîäíî¿ óâàãè. Ïðèíàéì³, çàõî÷åòüñÿ ïî÷óòè ÿê³ñü êëàïòèêè. Ùî æ äî ñàìî¿ íàçâè, òî çðîçóì³òè ¿¿ ïîòàºìíå çíà÷åííÿ áóäå âàæêóâàòî. Òóò ÷èìîñü çìîæóòü äîïîìîãòè õ³áà ùî ñàì³ àâòîðè öüîãî òâîðó.

Ïåðøèé òðåê àëüáîìó – «God Damn this Ugly Sound» – çâó÷èòü íåòèï³÷íî â ïîð³âíÿíí³ ç ³íøèìè òðåêàìè. Éîãî ìîæíà â³äíåñòè äî ñòèëþ music concrete. Ïî òðåêó âàñ ïîâåäå ãîëîñ ÿêîãîñü (áîæåâ³ëüíîãî) â÷åíîãî(?), ÿêèé ñòàâèòü ÿêèéñü ö³êàâèé (÷è òî ïàê ïîòâîðíèé) äîñë³ä.

Ñë³äîì çà òàêèì âñòóïîì ïî÷èíàºòüñÿ îñíîâíà ïðîãðàìà, ÿêó ñêëàäàþòü òðåêè â ñòèëÿõ drone- òà noise-ambient, çäåá³ëüøîãî ç âèêîðèñòàííÿì ã³òàðè, çàïèë ÿêî¿ ôàéíî ðîçòÿãíóòî â ÷àñ³, à òàêîæ ñêðåã³òó ïî ïîâåðõí³ ãðàìîôîíó ³ ïîëüîâèõ çàïèñ³â. ßñêðàâèì ïðèêëàäîì âèêîðèñòàííÿ ã³òàðè ñòàíå äðóãèé òðåê – «Blues for Sterling Hayden», ãðàìîôîííèõ åêñïåðèìåíò³â – «Tentacles of Broken Teeth». Îñòàíí³é çíàõîäèòüñÿ ïîñåðåäèí³ àëüáîìó ³ ö³ëêîì ñïðàâåäëèâî ìîæå áóòè íàçâàíèì ï³êîâèì, íàéá³ëüø åìîö³îíàëüíî íàñè÷åíèì òðåêîì àëüáîìó.

Ñêëàäîâà noise-ambient ïðåäñòàâëåíà â àëüáîì³ òðåêîì «Not Half Bad to the Bone». Åï³òåò «áîæåâ³ëëÿ», çäàºòüñÿ, çàíàäòî ì’ÿêèì äëÿ öüîãî òðåêó. Òóò çíîâó ìîæíà çà ñò³íîþ øóìó ïî÷óòè ã³òàðó, à òàêîæ ôîðòåï³àíí³ êëàïòèêè, äèñòîðøîâàí³ ãîëîñè, ñêðåò÷³. Îñòàííÿ õâèëèíà òðåêó – òàêà ñîá³ íàð³çêà ç áëþçîâî¿ ðåïåòèö³¿ áåç æîäíèõ øóìîâèõ ñêëàäîâèõ. ª òàêèé âèðàç – «ôîðìàòóâàííÿ ãîëîâíîãî ìîçêó», êðàùîãî ïîÿñíåííÿ öüîìó òðåêó íå çíàéòè. ßêùî âàì òðåáà ïîçáóòèñü ÿêèõîñü íåïðèºìíèõ ñïîãàä³â, â³í âàì ìîæå çàðàäèòè... ϳñëÿ òàêî¿ áðóòàëüùèíè «A Bucket of Mayo» – í³áè áàëüçàì íà äóøó. ̳í³ìàë³ñòè÷íèé òðåê ç çàïèñàíèì ä³àëîãîì â ÿêîìóñü ïðèì³ùåíí³.

Òèòóëüíèé òðåê àëüáîìó ç àíàëîã³÷íîþ íàçâîþ éäå îñòàíí³ì ³ ïîºäíóº â ñîá³ íàñòðî¿ òà çâóêîâ³ ïîëîòíà òðåê³â «Blues for Sterling Hayden» òà «Tentacles of Broken Teeth». Öèì òðüîì òðåêàì ÿêðàç êðàùå çà âñå ³ âäàºòüñÿ âòÿãíóòè ó ñòâîðþâàíèé ñâ³ò ñëóõà÷à, à ÿêùî òàê, çíà÷èòü àëüáîì âæå â ÿê³éñü ì³ð³ âèðàâäàâ ñâîþ ïîÿâó.  ö³ëîìó æ º â³ä÷óòòÿ òîãî, ùî àëüáîì ïèñàâñÿ ïîêâàïîì…

Àâòîðè ðåêîìåíäóþòü ñëóõàòè öåé àëüáîì âäîìà ó äîùîâó ïîãîäó àáî äåñü íà â³äïî÷èíêó. Ùîäî äðóãîãî, òî íàïåâíî íå âàðòî, à ï³ä ÷àñ äîùó... íó ìîæíà, õî÷à é íå îáîâ’ÿçêîâî. Çàðàç çà â³êíîì ñîíÿ÷íà, ÿñíà ïîãîäà, ÿêà âò³ì íå íàäòî çàâàæຠñïðèéíÿòòþ ìóçèêè íîðâåçö³â. (zeitgeist.org.ua)

JAZKAMER
: Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil
: CD
: Purplesoil
Rated:
Despite its gorgeous scumf**k title, Marhaug's and Hegre's latest is a mostly quiet and pensative release; maybe not "one for the rainy days [as it actually is today], or when you're longing for the prairie", as they put it, but surely not a vicious beast like their superb and rightly acclaimed "Metal Music Machine". The lengthy guitar-generated drones of the title track are arguably the best track here, and along with track n. 2, "Blues for Sterling Hayden", make this a mainly ambient, even Kranky-style disc. The harsh noise bursts that you'd tend to expect from the duo are limited to the aptly titled "Tentacles of Broken Teeth", and the rest is made of weird medical documentaries ("God Damn This Ugly Sound"), turntable noises, found sounds, etc. Save for the last track, I must admit this is a decent, but not really memorable release, considering the quality level I expect from the Norwegian duo. (Eugenio Maggi, chaindkl.com)

Jazkamer
BALLS THE SIZE OF TEXAS LIVER THE SIZE OF BRAZIL
Purplesoil

If you ever wondered what localised but severe narrowing of the left feral artery of a 48-year-old man sounds like, "God Damn This Ugly Sound", the opening track on this album, is for all you and your fellow budding heart surgeons. Dreadfully sorry Carlos Giffoni, but Lasse Marhaug and John Hegre, aka Jazkamer (somewhere along the way they lost a "z" and an "m" in the name) have always been fun to listen to, and Balls The Size Of Texas Liver The Size Of Brazil (a fun name if ever there was one) on the new Czech Purplesoil imprint is one of their most bewilderingly multidirectional and entertaining outings to date. Though there are one or two moments that might induce cardiac troubles substantially more serious than a systolic murmur, notably on "Not Half Bad To The Bone", it's also further proof that the worlds of brain melting noise and slowmo EAI are moving inexorably closer together, and this time it's the noiseniks who are slowing down and spacing out instead of the EAI people speeding up and getting down and dirty. Hegre recently released a charmingly intimate if diffuse collection of "ballads" with Maja Ratkje, and I'm looking forward to hearing the results of an encounter between Marhaug and the quiet man of London improv, Mark Wastell. Meanwhile, here are seven slabs of Norwegian sound art at its finest, from the scuzzy well-worn run-out grooves of "A Bucked Of Mayo" to the epic spaciousness of "Tentacles of Broken Teeth" and the closing title track, more Rypdal than Ratkje. At this rate these lads might even end up with an album on ECM, but any collaboration with the Hilliard Ensemble still seems to be some way off. (www.paristransatlantic.com)

> Jazkamer
> Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil
> (cd, Purplesoil, 2007)
> Marhaug / Asheim
> Grand Mutation
> (cd, Touch, 2007)
> Norske Lasse Marhaug er én af de der irriterende musikere, der har
> en så hysterisk høj udgivelsesrate, at man nærmest fra starten er
> sat ud af spillet, hvis man ønsker at følge hvert skridt i hans
> karriere. Siden de tidlige 90'ere har manden været involveret i
> indspilningen af over 200 albums. Dertil er han en flittig live-
> performer, ligesom han har skabt musik til teater,
> kunstinstallationer m.m. Han er ikke mindst berømt og berygtet for
> projektet Jazzkammer, som han siden 1998 har haft sammen med John
> Hegre. Jazzkammer, hvis navn har det med at mutere og miste diverse
> bogstaver hen ad vejen, er nærmest hvad man må kalde en institution
> i norsk eksperimentalmusik, og duoen har da også arbejdet med så
> prominente navne som Merzbow og Maja Ratkje.
>
> Navnets mutation kan synes passende for så vidt som duoens musik
> ikke har ret meget at gøre med jazz, som man normalt forstår det,
> om end Hegre og Marhaug dog deler jazzens interesse for
> improvisation. Klangmæssigt tager de dog snarere udgangspunkt i en
> hård kost af noise, drone, industrial og metal. Det er grove løjer,
> men løjer er det ikke desto mindre, for Marhaugs og Hegres projekt
> udmærker sig også ved et vist humoristisk islæt, der distancerer
> dem fra såvel selvsmagende avantgarde som den selvhøjtidelighed,
> man undertiden kan finde inden for metal og industrial. Det
> humoristiske lyser tydeligt igennem på titlen til én af det
> forgangne års udgivelser, Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size
> of Brazil, der er udkommet på det lille tjekkiske label Purplesoil
> under navnet Jazkamer (som duoen ynder at bruge for tiden).
>
> Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size of Brazil er en udmærket
> introduktion til gruppens univers, idet den kommer godt rundt i
> nogle af yderpolerne - fra ond og opklippet metal/noise til mere
> rolige, ambient/drone-prægede stykker. Jazkamer mestrer begge dele,
> som det bliver tydeligt på pladens midte, hvor de to stykker
> "Tentacles of Broken Teeth" og "Not Half Bad to the Bone" på
> strategisk vis tørner sammen. Førstnævnte er et nærmest
> foruroligende smukt stykke mørk ambient, mens "Not Half Bad to the
> Bone" på sin side er et hæsblæsende nummer, der sætter splintrede
> fragmenter af, hvad der lyder som black metal-jams, sammen til en
> støjende og spruttende collage.
>
> Det over 16 minutter lange titelnummer, der afslutter pladen,
> tager, måske lidt overraskende (den absurd bad ass-agtige titel
> taget i betragtning), også udgangspunkt i en rolig og meditativ
> dronemusik, som så alligevel har et metallisk og støjende præg med
> langstrakte toner fra guitarer, der synes at kunne eksplodere i
> hvidglødende feedback, hvad øjeblik det skal være, hvilket skaber
> en herlig suspense i nummeret. Her har Jazkamer virkelig noget, som
> mange støj- og dronekunstnere må misunde dem, nemlig en evne til at
> kombinere det dybt monotone og det højenergiske. Dertil kommer, at
> de er glimrende producere, hvad der er yderst vigtigt for, at en
> musik som denne kan blive så fysisk og vedkommende, som det er
> tilfældet her. Mere tungt bliver det på det ligeledes langstrakte
> nummer "Blues for Sterling Hayden", hvor den hvinende feedback får
> lov til at folde sig mere ud, uden at den meditative fornemmelse
> dog tabes på gulvet af den grund. Igen imponeres man over den
> virkelig overrumplende guitarlyd og duoens fornemmelse for at
> blende de håndspillede guitardele med elektroniske droner.
>
> Mindre engagerende virker så de tre resterende numre, hvor Jazkamer
> arbejder med forskellige arkivoptagelser af menneskestemmer, som
> manipuleres på diskret vis. Disse numre bliver trukket lidt for
> meget i langdrag til at fungere som rene intermezzoer, men foldes
> omvendt heller aldrig ud til virkelig at fremstå som fuldbyrdede
> numre. Mest af alt har de karakter af skitseagtige eksperimenter
> med "The World is Too Small" som det nok mest interessante af
> slagsen. Men helt ophidsende bliver det altså aldrig. Det ændrer
> omvendt heller ikke på, at Balls the Size of Texas, Liver the Size
> of Brazil er en anbefalelsesværdig og alsidig plade, der viser,
> hvor stor en spændvidde støjmusikken faktisk har, og at man i
> øvrigt udmærket kan skabe støj gennemlyst af musikalitet og
> kompositorisk tæft.
>
> Særdeles anbefalelsesværdigt er også et andet nyligt udsendt
> projekt fra Lasse Marhaug, nemlig pladen Grand Mutation skabt i
> samarbejde med organisten Niels Henrik Asheim. Her viser Marhaug
> atter sin sjældne flair for at lade sine elektroniske lyde smelte
> umærkeligt sammen med håndspillede instrumenter - i dette tilfælde
> noget så spektakulært som et kirkeorgel. Musikken på Grand Mutation
> er improviseret frem over én nat i Oslos katedral, som de to
> musikere fik lov at boltre sig i, lige inden den blev lukket på
> grund af renoveringsarbejde. Den natlige session blev så redigeret
> ned til fem forløb på sammenlagt cirka en times spilletid, som man
> nu kan nyde på cd'en, der virkelig lever op til sin titel:
> storslået og muteret.
>
> At lade kirkeorglet - dette instrument, som normalt bruges til at
> underbygge den kristne guds ord - udsætte for Marhaugs
> manipulationer og mutationer kan jo siges at være noget blasfemisk.
> Den uregerlige mutation er jo om noget en antitese til
> forestillingen om en gud, der skaber verden gennem ordet - en
> forestilling, som diverse fortalere for kreationisme og intelligent
> design stædigt fastholder. Det er næppe tilfældigt, at Marhaug og
> Asheim således via titlen lader mutationen slippe løs i Guds hus.
> Når det så er sagt, synes de snarere at være interesserede i
> udforskningen af selve orglets klangmuligheder end dets tunge
> symbolik. Således slipper man heldigvis også for letkøbte effekter
> så som at drukne orglet i et støjhelvede eller at bruge det til at
> skabe satanisk gysermusik. Nej, Marhaug og Asheim går først og
> fremmest til orglet som et instrument med et unikt klangpotentiale
> - et klangpotentiale, som selvsagt forstærkes af katedralens
> vældige rum, der smukt inddrages, idet Marhaug under
> indspilningerne både monterede kontaktmikrofoner på selve orglet,
> men også på kirkens alter for at få hele rummet til at resonere med.
>
> Her er i egentlig forstand også tale om en dialog mellem to
> ligeværdige musikere; to meget forskellige musikere, som dog deler
> fascinationen af klang, improvisation og ambiens. Kun meget
> sjældent bliver musikken decideret støjende. Således er det strengt
> taget kun det korte tredje nummer "Magnaton", der byder på egentlig
> noisemusik. De øvrige numre dyrker i højere grad kirkeorglets
> potentiale til at skabe et mægtigt og vibrerende lydrum fra helt
> dybe basdroner til lyse, spindelvævstynde toner, der myldrer sammen
> i en musik, som kan lede tankerne hen på nogle af György Ligetis
> orgelværker. Asheim udnytter virkelig hele instrumentets register
> og får dermed nogle nærmest helt sindssyge lyde ud af noget, som
> folk nok ellers forbinder mest med søndagsgudstjenesten, samtidig
> med, at han faktisk bibeholder en fornemmelse af noget sakralt og
> storslået. Hør for eksempel et nummer som "Philomela", der starter
> med knusende tunge droner for pludselig at sætte ind med nogle helt
> lyse, næsten skingre klange. Man kan ikke ligefrem sige, at det
> lyder som englenes sang. Snarere kan nogle af de helt lyse toner
> minde mere om et tandlægebor. Det er gruopvækkende og smukt på én
> gang, men som digteren Rainer Maria Rilke skrev: "Frygtelig er hver
> en engel".
>
> Dette klangvæv er naturligvis gefundenes Fressen for Marhaug, som
> fletter sine elektroniske lydtråde ind i tæppet. Det er svært at
> afgøre, præcist hvornår de akustiske lyde ophører og de
> elektroniske tager over, men det er, forstår man, også meningen. I
> hvert fald skrives der i covernoterne, at Marhaug og Asheim
> specifikt arbejdede hen imod en egentlig sammensmeltning af orgel
> og elektronik. Det må siges at være lykkedes til fulde.
>
> For nylig hørte jeg i radioen, at der er stor mangel på organister
> i danske kirker. Om dette også er tilfældet i Norge, skal jeg ikke
> kunne sige, men måske den danske folkekirke skulle overveje at
> bruge Grand Mutation som reklame for, hvor fantastisk det kan være
> at spille kirkeorgel. Eller hvorfor ikke simpelthen invitere
> Marhaug og Asheim på turné i de danske kirker, som jo alligevel
> står halvtomme og betuttede hen. Nå, det sker desværre næppe, men
> hør for satan (undskyld!) Grand Mutation - det er simpelthen
> kirkeorgel-improv med 'balls the size of Texas'.
>
> Rasmus Steffensen
>
> http://www.geiger.dk/anmeldelser/anmeldelse.php?id=2920

Jazkamer- ‘Balls The Size Of Texas, Liver The Size Of Brazil’ CD (PURPLESOIL)
Despite the rather cock-rock title, this release from the Jazkamer duo of
Lasse Marhaug and John Hegre is considerably more diverse than your
average noise-with-rock-and-roll attitude release. With the exception of
the one-listen-will-do opening six minutes of dour medical documentary
narration, the album walks a line between pieces of reverberating
noise-drone and considerably more meditative ambience.

On the 12 minute Blues for Sterling Hayden, the author is serenaded with a
wall of metallic guitar drone that rattles the speakers and proves
immersive whilst still sounding like a barrier through its aurally-evident
leveling of the volume in the red. Tentacles of Broken Teeth, on the other
hand, could very well paint from the same palette, but here the tones are
transformed into shimmering metallic waves and drones that weave amongst
each other like Nurse With Wound’s touchstone Soliloquy for Lilith, only
occasionally revealing their edge by peaking into feedback squalls.

Not Half Bad to the Bone returns to the outright noise with crunchy
explosions of sound mixed with a struggling rock band who, in the end,
loose out to the noise, but return at the close to play their soundcheck
and receive meager applause from the unfashionably early audience. The
sixteen minute title track closes the album with a sedate distillation of
the styles seen in the previous pieces, where patient washes of metallic
guitar feedbacks against an atmospheric bed of sounds, like post-rock
without the rock. (www.judaskissmagazine.co.uk)w