Christmas Decorations
Communal Rust
Community Library 2007

01. Upstage the Drips
02. Closer to Carpet
03. Twig Harpoon
04. Aphid Text
05. Browning Out
06. Clay Margins
07. Mice Over Feathers
08. Mirrored Mold
09. The Umbrella Fell

Today I had to choose between Communal Rust and Standing on a Hummingbird, the latest by Mark Templeton. They came about the same time through two different labels, and they're very similar in nature, Fennesz-y processed-guitar workouts. Christmas Decorations call it «anti-guitar guitar music»... which is not to say there is some bad guitar to start with, or less present than on other records. Au contraire, their sound appears alot more 'biological' than you'd expect from electro-acoustic acts. "Songs revolve around a dichotomy between guitar-pedal-and-computer induced fragmentation, on one hand, and the intricate, melodic guitar motifs referenced to classic post-punk and forgotten lo-fi". Powerful stuff, and very studied. You really feel they're in control, where Templeton would rather sit back, hoping his frail pieces will fall into place. Sorry dude, not so exciting, and not nearly as soulful (but people will adore you, I am sure - they'd buy anything that B*kat sells them). A big hand, therefore, to Communal Rust - the most convincing hazy, multi-textured, and manipulated of its kind, since Belong's October Language.

>> mihd (41mb) (d-_-b)
>> love it, buy it (Smallfish)