Rhys Chatham
A Crimson Grail (For 400 Electric Guitars)

Table of the Elements
2007
A-
Reviewed by: Matt Kivel
Reviewed on: 2007-05-17



Posted 05/17/2007 - 10:13:33 AM by timtheavenger:
 Definitely one of my most listened to albums of the year so far. I had no idea guitars could sound like that...
 
Posted 05/17/2007 - 11:22:50 AM by cwperry:
 I have got to buy this. And I can't wait until his Essentialist album comes out--those guys were great live when I saw them last fall and they smoked Jandek off the stage (but then again, so could a leafblower, or a Bic lighter, or a little kid, or . . .)
 
Posted 05/17/2007 - 11:29:49 AM by grandbanks:
 I haven't heard this yet, and I would much rather have been there than listen to a recording of it. Does the recording actually convey very well the reality of 400 guitars? this seems impossible to get on a recording, but I am interested for sure, as I am a total sucker for this shit. Most Chatham is worth your time, tim, if you liked this that much, but it isn't all massed guitars so read up before buying if you want more of the same. This label has been releasing (and re-releasing) Chatham pretty frequently so there is a decent amount of stuff available. Also, if you want more massed-guitar excitement definitely look into the Branca stuff, a lot of which has been getting re-released as well (I believe on the lable Acute, but shouldn't be hard to Google or whatever). My favorite is his Symphony #2, but I think it is a little hard to find. Some really amazing overtone-laden stuff that just blooms into choirs of bell-like tones. Pretty amazing stuff.
 
Posted 05/17/2007 - 09:52:36 PM by timtheavenger:
 grandbanks - the recording is a bit iffy at times, you can hear some indecipherable speaking and clapping, some shouting, but if the volume is up enough, i find myself utterly absorbed and not noticing the recording problems much. thanks for the tip on the rest of his stuff, will definitely be checkin it out.
 
Posted 05/18/2007 - 12:26:04 PM by grandbanks:
 Thanks, loud would be the way to go in general with this stuff, I guess. I don't know if there is much you can do to record something like this perfectly (though I am no engineer).
 
Posted 05/20/2007 - 06:15:45 AM by raskolnikov:
 Did the soundman have a nervous breakdown that night after putting microphones on four hundred amps? Soundcheck could've killed somebody too I bet.