(fax) 2350 Broadway 4...yawn

[phonaut]

I could be wrong, but what i think that MU was
addressing is some of the pointless negative comments
that have come across the list lately.  Criticism of
all kinds can certainly be useful, but somehow i'm not
finding comments like 'it's boring' or 'it's been done
before' or '...yawn' very convincing.  And here I've
been thinking that yawning was one of the many
purposes of ambient music..  I think it's safe to say
that many of us have used ambient to float off to
dreamland at some point.

I'm glad Trevor made the point below.  Some folks just
don't know what they want.  Thank the moogs Namlook
isn't listening to his 'fans' to guide what he is
doing.  Saying something like "it's been done before"
is so vague as to be meaningless.  When was what done
before?  On what release(s), exactly?  Give evidence
to your 'argument' and you may actually have one. 
Offer up another release you think sums up the style
better perhaps... isn't constructive conversation the
reason for this mailing list?

One would think the more serious Faxhead would have
realized this by now, but LOTS of things on Fax have
'been done before.'  That's kind of obvious if you've
heard almost any series on the label (ie Shades of
Orion, DSOTM, Sultan, etc).  Trite and dismissive
statements about someone's work really says more about
you as a listener (and conversationalist) rather than
the composer, IMO.  Maybe you just don't get it, did
that ever occur?  There's nothing wrong with not
liking something.  The rest of us will get by just
fine even though someone doesn't like X album. 
Hearing a handful of short soundclips might not
accurately demonstrate what an album like 2350v4 is
about.  The overall flow and movement and scope of an
album like this is lost and difficult to appreciate in
'cross-section', but at the same time I realize that
soundclips are often the only method we have to aid in
deciding where to spend that hard-earned cash.

Another thing:  it doesn't have to be new to be good. 
Sure, some among us would like to think of ourselves
as critical listeners who are challenged only by the
truly innovative and fresh material emerging in the
musical world, but that doesn't mean everyone here has
to share that perspective.

I can hardly believe what has happened in the last
couple months on Fax.  Namlook has had a serious
return to form.  Air V is surprisingly strong (Air 3 &
4 were not favorites for me).  Sounds to me like the
original Fax-Geist still hangs out in Peter's studio. 
Not only is that mid-90's spirit back, but it's back
in new form with the DTS 5.1 option, how fun.  Quite
remarkable that the label is still strong after this
much time and the recent unrest and growing pains in
the music business.  Not many labels doing this sort
of thing can say the same.

The wager that there will be some solo Inoue coming up
on Fax this year may be answered sooner rather than
later, but if it happens it may be something you
didn't expect.  I'm sure the Fax authorities will make
some announcements if and when the time comes.  

BTW, Coldrick's "Music for a Busy Head" was mentioned
a few days ago.  The follow up to this release on
Green Nuns Music was a Coldrick + Hillier collab
called "Elemental Journey" and worth checking out as
well.  This is the same Hillier aka ISHQ aka Ishvara
who is running Virtual who some people around here
have raved about in the past (no pun intended): 
http://www.discogs.com/label/Green+Nuns+Music

noah :: http://phonaut.com/

--- Trevor Cordes <trevor at tecnopolis.ca> wrote:
> It's funny.  When PK tries something new, a lot of
> people (including me!) are like "why can't he put
out more stuff 
> like <insert favorite 1994 release here>".  Almost
everyone here 
> says that about Inoue especially.
> 
> But when they finally do put out some stuff "more
> like 1994" some people start complaining it's not
original or 
> innovative! We're giving PK a damned-if-he-does
damned-if-he-
> doesn't rock/hard-place.



 
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