Comments on: What A Great Review MONSTRANCE

By: computer music man

computer music man — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:13:53 +0000

I love the cosmonaut is an interesting tune. not really my style but I understand why ben may be mad

By: Teensy Twirlings

Teensy Twirlings — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:54:01 +0000

Gentlemen,

Regarding Monstrance:

Great wallowing fat slabs, pricked and tweezed by sharkheaded loonies with primal punctuality. This is lovely stuff, echoing back down long dingy hallways caroming past Miniatures and obscure but not redundant remixes. It’s lush, penetrating, thought provoking and touching (in all the right places).

Well done gents, well done. What greater added bonerus than to addle addendums of hasbeen assholes like Gott. What’s an Ass Gott? A tie or two cheeks and a hole?

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 31 May 2007 12:22:31 +0000

Actually, I think Monstrance got a few good reviews this month. The last I found this morning was among them, on mackro.blogspot.com.
Here’s an extract :
[â€¦]“Monstrance’s strength is its rawness and clarity. No doubt, anyone who has followed XTC’s career is going to expect heavily overdubbed and orchestrated work, so hearing Andy with just a guitar and few effects to play with is harrowing — and that’s a good thing! The man’s guitar talents have always been overshadowed by his arrangements, understandably. But it’s really refreshing to hear him play out his more challenging sounding facets, without necessarily forcing it in your face. “Chaingang” and “Ur Tannoy” are great examples of this.

Barry’s playing has no resemblence to the playing he did back in 1978. Only for moments do the occasional highly dissonant synth-scrapes, like on “Torturetainment”, bring that era to mind. However, he mostly plays it cool, but never rests. He’ll often switch from ambient presets to basic piano presets to simulated prepared piano presets within the same stretch of material, without the transition sounding jarring ever. It’s stating the obvious, but Barry’s an accomplished keyboardist, and this release is yet another showcase for it.

Martyn’s drumming is the perfect rhythmic accompaniment to both Andy and Barry — whenever the music is rhythmic. When not, his drum fills are perfect as well. Martyn deserves the spotlight on most of the material here, in fact.”
[...]
Why does it have to be so difficult for a listener to be able to experiment with the listening experience of recorded experimental music itself? Mainstream pop releases now release deluxe editions often with instrumental versions, a cappella versions, and perhaps other backing tracks. Experimental music often has wacky packaging but (Warning: crass pop-ist generalizations to follow) ends up being just a compact disc or slab of vinyl with really long songs that one has to endure — at least if there are no consumable vices available to help out. Capitalism vs. Music For The People aside, who’s really being more experimental here?

Fah! Anyway… as Andy, Barry, and Martyn came into making Monstrance without a plan and having a grand ol’ time with it, why not do the same on the receiving end while the opportunity is there?”

Useless to say I agree with what’s written above. : )

By: Steve Robinson

Steve Robinson — Tue, 15 May 2007 14:59:14 +0000

I think both Ben and Andy have got it right.
Ben bravely expressed his opinion and gamely faced the inevitable scolding; Andy used it to his advantage.
Fans will always rush to the defense of their idols, and everyone and their aunties are now scurrying out to buy Monstrance on principle.(I just ordered three myself, this morning).
It’s funny, a similar thing happened to me after the release of my last solo CD in 2005. I’d received several great reviews and notices and promptly displayed them on my site. Then, I posted a link on a notoriously snooty folk-orientated forum and naively invited comments.
So, when ‘Mind-achingly awful” was posted by one bristling reviewer, I had to use it didn’t I? It did make me laugh after all, and I kept it in perspective. Not only that, It went straight on my site, nestled between raves from John Lomax III and Roger McGuinn.
In a very small way, it worked for me, too. I tracked a fair amount of traffic to my website from that thread, and even sold a copy of the CD to someone who listened to a sample for himself and obviously disagreed with the poster. Fair enough.(I don’t think his Auntie purchased though)
The thing is, if you’re going to inflict your creations on the general public, you have to expect and accept the good with the bad. Just like when you post a review, you have to accept the consequences; deal with the fallout, so to speak.
Would you really want Ben to pretend to like the album, out of some misguided sense of loyalty?(It’s obvious that the guy is a huge XTC fan, after all). Andy would hate that, surely.
Actually, I was going to ask Ben to review my new release, but I actually do play with metal fingernails, so I’ll not bother.

http://www.steverobinsonmusic.com/

By: noerukaeru

noerukaeru — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:03:35 +0000

Excellent music, I think, this is. I love XTC and on another hand, I love Improvised music, such as; Derek Bailey, Barre Phillips, and Kang Tae Hwan, Sainkho Namchylak, or Iva Bittova.
then, “Monstrance” give me deep impression. Quite beauty sounds this is.

By: Chad Lowe

Chad Lowe — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:37:22 +0000

I like Andy Partridge when he writes vocal-based pop songs. He is a master at that approach. However, his improvisational bent has never, ever moved me. I applaued the man for following his muse, but, if I want to listen to improvisational music, there are other artists out there (Mike Keneally, Reeves Gabrels) who do it much better, and much more interestingly so than Mr. Partridge.

By: Trevor Williams

Trevor Williams — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 08:27:55 +0000

Well, I’ve had my copies for a week now, and the more I listen to them, the more I ‘hear’ what they were aiming for. I’ve been experimenting a little by setting up my own guitar rig and playing along, and it is almost like being with them, it’s obvious they are feeling there way through some sections but it’s a tremendously creative feeling, and a worthy addition to the library of XTC-related items. This is tremendous stuff and I hereby beg Andy and Barry to sit down and meld this experience into a more structured bit of writing, whether jazz, pop, or Victorian pier-entertainment. You guys have a lot of great ideas; put them on record….

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:31:15 +0000

I’ve listened to my brand new cds yesterday. The least I can say is that I really don’t share Ben’s vision of Monstrance. This album may surprised some only used to the “pop” side of Mr. Partridge, but hey, we were warned it was an “experimental” album. And wow, it is a very good one! The atmospheres and moods, the drums, Andy’s rythmic guitars, the sounds and noises of Andrews’ keyboards, and oh the SOUND!!! The sound of Monstrance is fantastic. Barker’s drumming is astonishing, Andy’s work on his guitar sound and rythmic interplay with the drum beat is impressive (metal fingernails????), the sound textures variety of keyboards, tensions and spaceâ€¦ And it’s IMPROVISED, for christ sake. I think the necessary alchemy between the 3 musicians is truly and well present. At first listen, I should say that only 2 or 3 tracks have not yet “click” with me, but overall I find Monstrance is a beautiful, rich and impressive album. A really worthy piece of aural art. Merci Messieurs !

By: Per Aronsson

Per Aronsson — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 15:43:22 +0000

Wow, for a moment I thought I was on the XTC Forum! He, he…

I just got my parcel from APE and sit here with my Monstrance t-shirt, but I havenÂ´t had a chance to spin the CD:s yet. I donÂ´t know if I will close my eyes, but I will absolutely open my ears…

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 11:07:34 +0000

Trevor,

You are absolutely right that Martyn and Barry are exceptionally talented musicians, and I erred in not making that clearer in my review.

It’s April 6th, and “Monstrance” has been out for the whole week. So I’m going to bow out of this discussion and let everyone else have a go.

-Ben