Absolute Zero, the spirited collaboration between Enrique James (bass) and keyboards/vocalist Aislinn Quinn, is a post Canterbury (Soft Machine, Hatfields, Caravan) mixed with Rock In Opposition (Henry Cow, Art Bears, Univ... more »erse Zero) suffused with Teutonic precision and obsessive repetition. Joined by drummer Pip Pyle (late of alternative super groups Deliver, Gong, Hatfield, North, and National Health) Crashing Icons offers a full album of what New England Performer called "Epic, enthralling, edgy, twisted, and unique" music.« less
Absolute Zero, the spirited collaboration between Enrique James (bass) and keyboards/vocalist Aislinn Quinn, is a post Canterbury (Soft Machine, Hatfields, Caravan) mixed with Rock In Opposition (Henry Cow, Art Bears, Universe Zero) suffused with Teutonic precision and obsessive repetition. Joined by drummer Pip Pyle (late of alternative super groups Deliver, Gong, Hatfield, North, and National Health) Crashing Icons offers a full album of what New England Performer called "Epic, enthralling, edgy, twisted, and unique" music.
"An Absolute masterwork:
On the big scale, Art History teaches us how evolution in artistic terms is propelled from small circles of vilified artists offering often neglected products, to mass generalization of their new viewpoint. During this process, of course, many of the new proposals will be forgotten, but on the whole, this new approach will be accepted, because basically it reflects a more suitable vision of the world for that time being. Last century brought in a new factor in this evolution, which is the transformation of art in a marketed business, and the extended use of art/media as the near-perfect tool for control and guidance of the people's trends and even moral values, which have turned the romantic approach to art as a liberating tool into a commonly accepted alienating experience. But true artists are not easy to cage in, so sometimes we are thrilled to discover brilliance trying to wake up from the matrix and share with us their iluminating experience.
In contemporay musical terms (and of course taking into consideration all classical revolutions -dodecafonism, bruitism, serialization, microtonal or polyrythmic composition, jazz and free jazz, etc) and regarding popular music, this was attempted during the late sixties when some musicians broke all rules present at that age and started composing songs which avoided the common formula (3 minutes, love theme lyrics in the English idiom, repetitive verse-chorus structure etc) in such a way that -later- they were called progressive. Of course, after a while. it degenerated as well into another formulaic overused scheme, and again artists, aware of all that, tried to break the carcass so the substance could be delivered.
One of them is Chris Cutler, a truly original drummer who had played with the canterburian band Henry Cow and many other multitalented combos. He eventually set in motion the Rock In Opposition movement with the intention of creating a friendly entourage for musicians with a non-compromising creative itch.
Rock In Opposition (RiO) is just the negative of New Age. When new Age tries to put you to sleep, RiO will shake your neurons in the same way as The Catcher In The Rye could relate to Harry Potter's stories. Bands in the RiO school will never be high in any top list because it is not music to please your senses (even if you can find in it many uttermost sublime experiences of pure beauty) Bands like Henry Cow, Etron Fou, Samla's, Univers Zero, Miriodor, 5UU's, Forever Einstein, Sotos, Rascal Reporters are in my opinion true treasures because with the freedom they show in their work they prove to us all that -still- there are some spaces where that freedom can exist and be shared, which is basically to give us all some relieving hope when facing the actual music scene.
So there is Absolute Zero, a trio of unhumanly skilled musicians who have been one way or another fighting the beast for 20 years (and the beast is all that prevented them from releasing their first album earlier) It is a real pleasure for me to be able to show my admiration to Enrique Jardines (you have not heard a bass like this) Aislinn Quinn (keyboards, vocals) and the formidable Pip Pyle (of Canterbury fame) for what they have accomplished on this album. To describe the music here is as difficult as reviewing Jorge Luis Borges books, the simple reason being that everything is there. Four long tracks make the cd, and the only non-misleading hint I can give you is the topic Chaos under Control. Power and beauty. Thunderous zeulish bass, voice used as an instrument, themes ever changing, electronic bits with intention. Grotesque and fantastic constructions substitute each other along mind-blowing, full of unexpected beatings and breaks, often atonal drumming by the truly amazing Pip Pyle. Enrique's bass guitar is one of the two most diversely changing instruments on "Crashing Icons" along with Aislinn's vocals. Many times you won't even think it is a bass, and it makes me think Robert Fripp should hire him for KC, being his 6-stringed instrument much better and creatively different that the (Chapman) Stick.
Music here is strong, powerful, beautiful and liberating. I just can't recommend this record enough. If you are interested in Rock or Jazz, Electronic, Progressive, or just in good music let this wonderful crystallization of talent, creativity and freedom cheer your soul."
Musica Sin Cadenas
12/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Un progresivo directo sin tapujos con la excentricidad y la viveza de la fusión como hermanos entre el Jazz y el progresivo. Temas que no esperan que nos agraden, nos empapan con un movimiento que no es sutil si no agresivo y disonante, que pocos se atreven atravesar, sin máscaras. Su música es desnuda en cada sonido que nos envuelve sin querer venderse sino sólo el expresar de un músico como única expresión valida. De antemano los felicito por romper esquemas, como simplemente lo realiza un músico, en palabras de Robert Fripp, un músico que es un músico sin tener que tener un compromiso al volverse un músico profesional. Esto es música sin cadenas
Mundo Rock"
Music is a Revolution
12/13/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"According to Absolute Zero, 'Music is a Revolution', and the band has sought to champion the cause of forward thinking ideas and sounds through their unique brand of controlled mayhem. While sharing similar ideals with the original Rock in Opposition movement, Absolute Zero's music stands as a reactionary force to the overwhelmingly stagnant state of most music today. Drawing from a pool of influences, the band combines the complexity of 20th Century Classical music composition and improvisational freedom of Jazz without losing sight of the radical elements born from the birth of rock and roll. Imagine the dissonance of Henry Cow filtered through a postmodern aggressiveness. Repetitive and distorted bass lines and forceful percussion (courtesy of Canterbury legend Pip Pyle, who you've never heard like this before) underscore an almost Koenji Hyakkei-esque Zeuhl element at times, while abstract vocal and keyboard melodies dance through dissonant passages, providing a lighter balance to the overpowering rhythmic force. A unique use of modern technology, sounds are processed to biting, industrial timbres that accentuate the immediacy of the music, with the occasional blast of trumpet and tinny, spiky digital keys. The extended length of the songs is the perfect breeding ground for the dark and foreboding passages that slowly simmer and explode, bent on exploring a new direction. Absolute Zero's uncompromising vision has unfortunately never allowed the release of their music to come to complete fruition. Nearly ten years in the making, Crashing Icons is a triumph of individual thinking and free spirit yearning for a chance of free expression, and this artistic tension shines through the music."
Close and intelligent attention to detail - compositional
12/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"ABSOLUTE ZERO: Crashing Icons
Based in Miami, this is a very interesting American band, ploughing its own furrow - whose accent is what they call 'prog' over there, but whose language is more complex by far. Pip Pyle adds a seasoned sophistication - in fact I think this is a great environment for him, he shines - but the whole ensemble is way past the foothills and keeping the oxygen packs handy. An excellent first CD, in a style that, features densely composed, layered, slightly post 5UU-school music - with some sung parts, high level rock/abstract improvisation. virtuoso playing and excellent clean, powerful production. In fact close and intelligent attention to detail - compositional, performative and sonic - is its hallmark. These are long-considered, sustained pieces. A fine debut ."
"Crashing Icons" de Absolute Zero fue una sorpresa para mí.
12/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Crashing Icons" de Absolute Zero fue una sorpresa para mí. En rigor de verdad esperaba un buen disco ya que había leído algunos comentarios muy auspiciosos sobre su única obra previa, un mini CD independiente de 20 minutos llamado "Alive in the Basement". Es por esto que, cuando introduje por primera vez "Crashing Icons" en mi reproductor de CD, grande fue mi sorpresa al no encontrarme con un buen álbum... lo que estaba escuchando era un álbum espectacular. Un disco de rock progresivo complejo, excelente de principio a fin. Cuatro pistas, 64 minutos de música, que me recordaron las razones por las cuales en mi adolescencia quedé prendado para siempre de la música progresiva.
Al escuchar Absolute Zero, mi primer y más inmediata impresión fue que existía una afinidad estilística con algunas de las excelentes bandas de RIO moderno tales como Thinking Plague o 5uu's. Luego, prestando atención a otros aspectos de la música, me pareció detectar alguna influencia del Crimson de los '70. Avanzando en la audición, pensé percibir alguna referencia al Yes mas elaborado y "caótico" del periodo "Close to the Edge"-"Relayer". Tal vez también algo de Henry Cow y de las grandes bandas de la Canterbury Scene. Es así que cuanto más escuchaba, más y más resonancias creía descubrir y mi desorientación se incrementaba al momento de tratar de encasillarlo en un estilo determinado. Sin embargo, cuando a los 3:45 minutos del segundo tema Il Balletto di Bronzo vino a mi mente, empecé a sospechar seriamente que me estaba volviendo paranoico. Creía ver aparecer todos los estilos en esa música, incluyendo: fusión, improvisación, ritmos latinos, Miles Davis, y TANGO... "Crashing Icons" era el ALEPH! El Aleph de la música, todos los géneros estaban ahí, en un solo CD magistralmente recreados y mancomunados, dando como resultado un disco único, original e increíble de música compleja pero, paradójicamente, de un atractivo inmediato. Un álbum excelente en la tradición del Rock Progresivo mas arriesgado.
A partir de esto surgen dos preguntas. La primera es, para aquellos que no los conocen, quienes son los músicos creadores de tan soberbia obra. Contra lo que uno podría esperar, Absolute Zero, no es una banda novel formada recientemente por neófitos. Todo lo contrario. Sus orígenes se remontan a un encuentro casual en Massachusetts entre el bajista Enrique Jardines y el baterista Paul Roger, allá por la década del 70, y a su decisión de formar una banda, Absolute Zero, como vehículo de expresión para sus inquietudes musicales, bastante alejadas del patético gusto imperante a fines de los 70 y principios de los 80. Mucha agua paso bajo el puente desde esa formación embrional de AZ hasta la actual, creadora de "Crashing Icons", pero los hitos mas importantes son la incorporación de la tecladista y vocalista Aislinn Quinn en 1984, y la crítica decisión de abandonar la banda por parte del co-fundador Paul Roger en 1999. Sin embargo, Enrique Jardines es una persona de recursos y ha probado no amedrentarse ante un traspié, por grande que este sea. Habiendo sido huésped por un largo periodo del famoso Alan Gowen (Gilgamesh, National Health) en su casa de Londres durante la época de National Health, Enrique entabló amistad con sus miembros, por lo que, luego de una invitación, el nuevo actual baterista de Absolute Zero es el increíble Pip Pyle. Es así que la formación actual de AZ se circunscribe al talentoso trío conformado por Enrique Jardines en bajo, Aislinn Quinn en voz y teclados y Pip Pyle en batería (con la colaboración del ex-AZ Keith Hedger en trompeta y Jim Stewart en percusión).
La segunda pregunta que se me planteo luego de escuchar "Crashing Icons" fue... cómo semejante banda debió esperar más de dos décadas sin que ninguna compañía grabadora le editara un disco? A ciencia cierta, no tengo la respuesta a esta pregunta, aunque la sospecho. Muy probablemente la principal razón de este injusto silencio no se deba a un exceso de perfeccionismo de los músicos, sino mas bien a la inmensa necedad de los que manejan el "gran negocio discográfico" y los medios de comunicación masiva que, en lugar de apoyar a los verdaderos artistas, promueven grupos de no-músicos que hacen CDs basura.
Volviendo a "Crashing Icons", para clarificar la confusa, errática y subjetiva descripción que diera del mismo al inicio de este comentario, creo que lo mejor es recurrir a las palabras de personas mucho mas calificadas que yo, es decir a los propios miembros de Absolute Zero: "nuestra inspiración incluye la brutal honestidad del Folk y el Blues, la libertad de improvisación del Jazz, la complejidad de las técnicas de composición del Siglo XX, la diversidad de diferentes World Music, y la energía disidente, electrónica, descarada, a todo volumen, del espíritu original del rock". El resultado... puramente Absolute Zero.CONCLUSION: No apto para aquellos que gustan exclusivamente de "Afterglow" u "Owner of a lonely heart". "Crushing Icons" es Rock Progresivo del mejor en su vertiente mas elaborada, ecléctica y compleja con una buena dosis de improvisación y otra especias exóticas. Un disco estupendo de una excelente banda que, confío, haya llegado para quedarse. Espero con ansiedad su siguiente trabajo.Paul Puleston 2003
puleston@ing.unlp.edu.ar"
Track Listings (4) - Disc #1
