Let me first state that I can not get my arms around Gorch Fock. From the name, the eerie pictures throughout the CD, to the song-styling, this band has me confused. When I listened to Lying and Manipulating I liked it, hated it, was intrigued by it, was annoyed by it, and basically frustrated by it. I have been listening to this thing for 2 months now and I still am having trouble writing a review.
"Prologue: Mexia Creek Crossover" is the only song that is close to ordinary or melodic. From there we get right into the avant genre with "Scott Jernigan" and "Bono". These two quick hitters are unlike songs I have heard before. Imagine taking a good swing song and spinning it up to 78rpm. That is what you get. Every instrument playing as fast as possible while a droning synthesizer hums in the background.
Songs like "Tap Is Crack", and "Michael Kolhaas" are very repetitive and frustrate me, because they contain interesting segments I like, but overall, I am annoyed by the songs. In the case of "Brazilian Whack Job", Gorch Fock attempt to be a little artsy with integrating the Doobie Brothers "Black Water" into the introduction. This song also tends to go nowhere.
But just as you are ready to dismiss these guys as a bunch of college kids just messing around, you get "Penance/Giant Mast". This song is just as avant-garde as the others, but mixes sounds and creates a musical mess that keeps you entertained and interested. The same can be said for "Jefferson Davis Pinkus". But the fun stops there. One half star was deducted for the sacrilege of what they did to Neil Young's "Ohio".
Lying and Manipulating is for fans of RIO and art/noise-rock. It contains some really good moments, but overall, I couldn't get it wrapped around my brain.
Track Listing
1. Prologue: Mexia Creek Crossover
2. Scott Jernigan
3. Bono
4. untitled
5. Tap Is Crack
6. Message of Counter-Cultural
7. Brazilian Whack Job
8. Penance/Giant Mast
9. Operational Thetan
10. Tampa Pentagram
11. Michael Kolhaas
12. Jefferson Davis Pinkus
13. Ohio
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
