Fred Frith
Guitar Solos
★★★½
When done right, guitar improvisations can be among my favorite form of music and sound. A key player in that field is Derek Bailey; his music has transformed the way I've understood improvised music especially that of the guitar. Now I haven't gotten around to listening to Fred Frith's music under his own name, but now is the time with his solo debut. I've known about Frith through his work in Art Bears and Zorn's group years later, but I didn't find him very memorable or outstanding. So I went into this album without a clear idea or bias regarding his music, though the album cover really did grab my attention. I heard that Frith was a classically trained violinist before beginning to play the guitar, and I think he brings in some of that 20th century theme regarding sound on this record. Frith is diverse, and it shows with the techniques he uses here as well as the instruments he plays on other projects. Each piece stands out on its own, a theme in each song makes it a fascinating record. He manipulates sounds from outside sources as much as he does from the guitar, which is unlike the improvisers I'm used to, but it works quite well in that way. It separates you from what comfort might remain with only a man and his guitar. Frith is a man with his guitar, surrounded by fuzzboxes, pedals, and wires.
Starting this record, my immediate thought drifted towards No Wave. Even though Frith was not a part of the original No Wave New York scene, he sets up a guideline for what many guitarists would do a few years later. Frith did eventually join Zorn and others in the Downtown scene during the nineties and when listening to this album it's hard not to see how well he fits in. "Hello Music" is as close to orthodox guitar playing as there is here, and at only a minute and a half long, I wish there was more. Thankfully, Frith's other ideas are expanded more effectively on the song "Glass c/w Steel". It's muted and eerie, almost like standing close to a lake during the early morning mist; all with a guitar. "Ghosts" and "Out of Their Heads (On Locoweed)" take this album to an especially dark corner. "Ghosts" acts like a subdued, calm ambient setting for the chaos that ensues throughout "Out of Their Heads (On Locoweed)". It's the second longest song on here, but in those eight minutes a lot is achieved. There's a bone rattling effect that becomes a trance until it's broken up by distortions and screams about halfway through the song. This guitar is wailing for something that is unobtainable and slowly, it's snuffed out of existence.
The second side of this record is a lot more back heavy, with the first three songs being so short that you might just miss them. Unlike what the song "Ghosts" did, these three miniatures are really good on their own, and aren't trying to set up the longest piece "No Birds". "Not Forgotten" and "Hollow Music" are in the arena of Derek Bailey; not of that caliber of course but it's still interesting. It's considerably more natural sounding and more exploratory than what I would expect. "Heat c/w Moment" is bit rockier and more jazz based than anything else, perhaps even showing off a bit of what Frith was to do in the coming decades. It's short but flavorful and really distracts you from the oncoming storm that is "No Birds". "No Birds" in many ways to me is almost like an entire string section being played. Although it's two prepared guitars being manipulated at the same time, I'm sure that Frith's previous experience with the violin helped him construct this piece. And that string-like quality reminds me of a stripped and starving version of what Godspeed You! Black Emperor sounds like. That takes up about the first seven minutes, but after that the guitars become clearer, not to say that it's "normal" or very melodic. It gets back to that jazz base with a minimal classical twist that wraps it all up, leaving you enticed for more of the same.
Honestly this was much more colorful than the cover or any other immediate notions suggested. It's a bit of a shame that the best track was saved for last, when you realize that Frith has the capability for such complexity and song structure it's already the end. While I could listen to a whole album of songs like "No Birds", I'm not sure that his future albums followed the same style. This is just the beginning of my Frith journey, so I'm hoping for the best but this did help strengthen my interest. I've heard some call this Proto No Wave, and I understand where they're coming from sonically. But I really believe that Frith was doing his own thing, and his ideals and surroundings were not similar that which inspired the No Wave movement. I like the idea of each of these songs being separate bites of his style, it gives you the impression that Frith has nailed multiple concepts and themes. The drawback to this level of variation is that you are left with no connecting idea between all the songs, which leads to a lacking in cohesiveness throughout the whole album. I hope that his later albums also have this challenging aspect about them, that really makes you listen in to what he's playing and how he's playing it. This is not music to put on and zone out.
Favorite Song: No Birds
Starting this record, my immediate thought drifted towards No Wave. Even though Frith was not a part of the original No Wave New York scene, he sets up a guideline for what many guitarists would do a few years later. Frith did eventually join Zorn and others in the Downtown scene during the nineties and when listening to this album it's hard not to see how well he fits in. "Hello Music" is as close to orthodox guitar playing as there is here, and at only a minute and a half long, I wish there was more. Thankfully, Frith's other ideas are expanded more effectively on the song "Glass c/w Steel". It's muted and eerie, almost like standing close to a lake during the early morning mist; all with a guitar. "Ghosts" and "Out of Their Heads (On Locoweed)" take this album to an especially dark corner. "Ghosts" acts like a subdued, calm ambient setting for the chaos that ensues throughout "Out of Their Heads (On Locoweed)". It's the second longest song on here, but in those eight minutes a lot is achieved. There's a bone rattling effect that becomes a trance until it's broken up by distortions and screams about halfway through the song. This guitar is wailing for something that is unobtainable and slowly, it's snuffed out of existence.
The second side of this record is a lot more back heavy, with the first three songs being so short that you might just miss them. Unlike what the song "Ghosts" did, these three miniatures are really good on their own, and aren't trying to set up the longest piece "No Birds". "Not Forgotten" and "Hollow Music" are in the arena of Derek Bailey; not of that caliber of course but it's still interesting. It's considerably more natural sounding and more exploratory than what I would expect. "Heat c/w Moment" is bit rockier and more jazz based than anything else, perhaps even showing off a bit of what Frith was to do in the coming decades. It's short but flavorful and really distracts you from the oncoming storm that is "No Birds". "No Birds" in many ways to me is almost like an entire string section being played. Although it's two prepared guitars being manipulated at the same time, I'm sure that Frith's previous experience with the violin helped him construct this piece. And that string-like quality reminds me of a stripped and starving version of what Godspeed You! Black Emperor sounds like. That takes up about the first seven minutes, but after that the guitars become clearer, not to say that it's "normal" or very melodic. It gets back to that jazz base with a minimal classical twist that wraps it all up, leaving you enticed for more of the same.
Honestly this was much more colorful than the cover or any other immediate notions suggested. It's a bit of a shame that the best track was saved for last, when you realize that Frith has the capability for such complexity and song structure it's already the end. While I could listen to a whole album of songs like "No Birds", I'm not sure that his future albums followed the same style. This is just the beginning of my Frith journey, so I'm hoping for the best but this did help strengthen my interest. I've heard some call this Proto No Wave, and I understand where they're coming from sonically. But I really believe that Frith was doing his own thing, and his ideals and surroundings were not similar that which inspired the No Wave movement. I like the idea of each of these songs being separate bites of his style, it gives you the impression that Frith has nailed multiple concepts and themes. The drawback to this level of variation is that you are left with no connecting idea between all the songs, which leads to a lacking in cohesiveness throughout the whole album. I hope that his later albums also have this challenging aspect about them, that really makes you listen in to what he's playing and how he's playing it. This is not music to put on and zone out.
Favorite Song: No Birds
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