Fennesz / Daniell / Buck – Knoxville

There’s beauty in the unexpected; in the moments of real randomness and unplanned events. That is why improvised music is one of the truest forms of music there is. Here we are presented with a live collaboration from 3 heavy weights in the experimental and improvisational scene. Christian Fennesz needs no introduction of course; his electronic compositions have been stunning listeners for years now. David Daniell has just released his debut solo album on Thrill Jockey, but is also a member of the ambient rock trio San Agustin and Tony Buck many of you should know from The Necks. “Knoxville” is a recording of the 3 of them playing together for the first time and as expected, it’s truly glorious.

The record begins with ebbed and bowed cymbals and chimes, sounding at times almost like a door creaking in the distance or bells causally dancing together in a breeze. It’s a perfect opening to what is actually quite a chaotic and challenging listen. It draws you in and doesn’t let you go. Gradually, layers of guitars begin to subtly work there way into the piece. At first they play gently and faintly; in fact almost shyly as if the artists are building confidence to really let go. When the distortion begins to tear through, it’s striking. It almost hits you off guard yet it feels perfectly timed. I can imagine the sheer joy there must have been in playing this piece live, also in viewing it. The clattering drums and crashing cymbals against the waves and drones of thunderous lush noise is breath taking.

The second track, entitled “Heat From Light” begins with much more presence than the first; the tapped drums creating a strange sense of pulling back and fourth over the top of a sound not too far from that of pouring rain or possibly lapping waves. The climax of this piece greets us with a pounding tribal rhythm and crashing cymbals. This piece almost feels like a panic attack; all the sounds from the drums and the two guitars erupt frantically and there appears to be no real sense of time of rhythm, just beautiful and uncompromising bliss noise. As the piece dies down, you almost feel relieved; but in the best possibly sense.

Track 3 entitled “Antonia” is the calmest and least chaotic of them all. Static-esque tones drift over guitar swells and faint jazz style free drumming. This track almost feels like the aftermath of the previous track. It’s perfectly placed and allows room to breathe before the final track kicks in which I must say is mind blowing.

There’s a real sense of understanding on this album. Not only do the musicians know exactly how to feed from one another; they also seem to be well aware of pacing and emotion. For a live improvised album, this shows a masterful skill in tension and building just as much as it does of creating bombastic climaxes. Everything about this feels right, so much so that I can’t ever imagine a studio album by the trio ever reaching the heights of this live album. It bursts and over flows with energy that would be impossible to show case in a studio environment.

I approached this album cautiously; knowing very little neither of Fennesz’s live collaborated work nor of the two artists joining him, but now I feel I should have dived in head first. Played loudly on headphones, this is a paralyzing album of pure raw musicianship, that is to say it is gripping not only because of its fearlessness of experimentation but also its fearlessness of being messy, loud and truly “out there”. For those expecting some kind of overblown noise extravaganza, sit up and take note, as this is not just noise for the sake of it. It is not just trying to be louder or harsher than the others; it simply is what it is and what it is is stunning. – Review by Daniel J. Gregory for Fluid Radio

Available on 2010-08-24 through Thrill Jockey Records

www.thrilljockey.com
www.fennesz.com
www.myspace.com/davidwdaniell
www.thenecks.com