Search - Bill Frisell :: Before We Were Born

One of my favorite Frisell albums

C. Robinson | San Mateo, CA | 12/29/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first got into Bill Frisell in the early 90's, when he was touted as the new Jimi Hendrix who played jazz with the sensitivity of Jim Hall. So I bought this album almost 10 years ago, expecting to hear what Hendrix might sound like 'now' had he lived.I was not disappointed. If you're looking for some avante garde ripping, this is a great place to be. An excellent example of the 'downtown' scene in Manhattan at the time...eerie & mysterious one minute, free jamming out the window the next, then bouncing along like a Saturday morning cartoon...exciting stuff.This effect is demonstrated most obviously by the standout track 'Hard Plains Drifter', a John Zorn 'index card' arrangement (along the same lines as 'Spillane' or 'Godard'), where the band plays a dozen or so musical 'sound bites' (the index cards); one may be country, another punk, another avante garde spooky, etc. The 'index cards' are then shuffled, reordered, and reassembled in the studio to produce an effect not unlike quick, late-night channel surfing in the David Lynch Motel.Technical/conceptual details aside, its an incendary performance, featuring some of Frisell's best country/punk riffing and some unforgettable, over-the-top drumming by the incredible Joey Baron.Also not to be missed is Frisell's soaring, gut-bucket blues solo on 'Love Motel', Hank Roberts' virtuosic ensemble playing on 'Pip, Squeak' (how on earth does he keep up with that melody?), plus a ton of intense, creepy scratching & scraping on nearly every other track. This is a great album if you're into the guitar, early 90's avante garde, or a long-time fan of Bill Frisell. Although not life-changing in the way, say, 'A Love Supreme' is life-changing (so only 4 stars), it simply must be heard to be believed."

A masterpiece

Jeremy | 01/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bill Frisell is a musician's musician. His playing has emotional depth and technical brilliance in equal measure. Ferocious, serene, melancholic, playful... Bill travels through diverse musical territories unexplored by most of his contemporaries. A true original. His skills as a composer and arranger are equally stunning. This was my first Bill Frisell recording. After the first 15 or 20 seconds of the first track, I had to start it over again. I couldn't believe my ears! The sound was unlike anything I'd ever heard. A huge, cosmic sound. Shattering. I still get chills thinking about it. I find the rapid movement through styles to be a plus, not a minus. It shows Bill's incredible versatility. The one exception is the long Zorn-produced track, which I usually skip (although I am a fan of Naked City).If you are interested in Bill Frisell, this disc is a great place to start."

Exceptional

Lovblad | Geneva, Switzerland | 05/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I bought this CD back when it was first released it was a complete revelation. It made me discover both Bill Frisell enad John Zorn. The guitar playing is extremely varied as it would be when I saw them on tour at Montreux. John zorn at one point screamed at the protesting audience: "If you want commercial music, go see George Benson". A lot of people left but it was a fantastic concert or two concerts actually, first Frisell then more or less Naked City. On this record you can indeed hear what would come out stronger on the Naked City records. Very experimental music varying from almost ambient music to aggressive thrash metal, all while remaining very much in the spirit of jazz. The sound is n ot really perfect, being slightly too shrill and should be redone (if it has not been).Otherwise it is a fantastic record...recommended. 6 stars."