Records of the Week

THE NECKS ON THE WEB | THE NECKS ON MYSPACE

When you think of psychedelia, hyperactive groups like Neu! and Led Zepplin jump to mind.  But the trippiest of all musical genres is better defined by the implemented sounds’ ability to transmogrify before your very ears—for certain passages, when played together, to sound entirely different from their stand-alone counterparts.  The Necks, an Australian jazz-trio, embody the conceptual limit of psychedelia.  Glassy pianos, lonesome saxophones, a tight rhythm section and restrained guitar become an ebbing wall of liquid sound on “Drive By,” the 2003 ARIA award-winning album from the Aussies.  And what’s even more impressive is the fact that pianist Chris Abrahams, guitarist and percussionist Tony Buck and bassist Lloyd Swanton play all of their music off the cuff—most of their albums are hour-long improvisations.  The Necks are uncertainty coupled to artistic vision, whimsy coupled to musical craftsmanship.

CELER ON THE WEB | CELER ON MYSPACE

As the second installment of its two-songs-two-hours event, Nowlikephotographs features Celer’s Pockets of Wheat, a single-song album which beautifully meanders and drones itself past the 59-minute mark. Does it require an exceptional attention span? Yes. Is the endeavour worthwhile? Absolutely. With such an expansive time limit – or lack thereof entirely – a myriad of thoughts and ideas can be explored and expounded upon to the fullest extent. Their works are intent upon focusing on the “impermanence of life,” and with respect to both the timidity and sparseness of Pockets of Wheat, and the tragic passing of Danielle Marie Baquet in July of 2009, such intentions are felt. Celer was comprised of Danielle and William Thomas Long and produced music for various applications including art gallery exhibitions. Their recordings continue to trickle into light to this day.