Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Semantics - Bone Of Contention [Klanggalerie - 2022]

Existing for a few years in the late 1980’s Semantics were an avant-jazz supergroup, bringing together the impressive talents of bass player Elliot Sharp, multi-instrumentalist Ned Rothenberg, and percussionist Samm Bennet. The band released just two albums their 1986 self-titled, and 1987’s Bone Of Contention- which saw the three-piece weaving in touches of off-kilter world music into their avant jazz rock sound.

This is a CD release of the album is from the great folks at Klanggalerie, who over recent years have been reissuing some great experimental gems, which this release most certainly is. The reissue comes presented in a glossy black four-panel digipak- this features on its front and back cover pictures of strange pottery, pictures of folks playing musical instruments throughout -out history, and the band playing live. Inside we find album credits, and a shadowy moody picture of the band playing live.

The original LP appeared in November of 1987 on SST Records- it took in ten tracks, with this reissue adding in three live tracks from the period as bonus tracks.  The album moves from angular seesawing groove-meets marching to scarping percussion of “Trumped Up Charges”.  Onto the bish-bash ethnic percussion meets bucking ‘n’ baying Avant jazz-rock chaos of “Subsequtial” which midway breaks down in a dizzying darting bass, drum scuttle, and horn breakdown.

Moving onto the second half of the record we have the buzzing world groove meets guitar rolling jive of “Animal Farm” with its dense, airless, and fidgety flow. We have the winding up ‘n’ down bass fumble meets flowing sax honk forests of “Code Ring”. With the original album playing out with the more brooding-if-clipped avant noir jazz of “The Big Sleep” with its crawling bass slugs, tight guitar simmer, and wavering horn unease.
The three live bonus tracks are good too- we have the manic honk ‘n’ dart meets machine-like percussion flow of “Proton Shake”. There’s bounding key dirge, snapping drums, and baying horns of “Tark Zone”. And lastly “One For Yogi” which has a snaking ‘n’ snorting slightly ethnic slurred jazz-funk feel to its flow.

It is so great to see Bone Of Contention back in print once more- and if you enjoy where avant jazz, off-kilter rock, and world music meet and oddly get it on, this is an album for you. Which like all of Klanggalerie releases can be found here .

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Roger Batty
Latest Reviews

Semantics - Bone Of Contention
Existing for a few years in the late 1980’s Semantics were an avant-jazz supergroup, bringing together the impressive talents of bass player Elliot Sha...
280324   Typhoon Club - Typhoon Club(B...
270324   Jerzy Skolimowski Collection ...
260324   Latex Choker - Sealed
260324   Occlusion - 59: No Input Wall
260324   Nihil Impvlse - Anabasis
260324   Marta Forsberg - Sjunger För...
260324   The New Boy - The New Boy( Th...
250324   The Stargazer’s Assistant - ...
250324   Liza Lim - Annunciation Trip...
220324   Patrick - Patrick( UHD/ Blu Ray)
Latest Articles

The Music of Clay Ruby & Burial H...
Over the last couple of decades Wisconsin native, Clay Ruby has been creating some of the world’s finest dark electronic music under the Burial Hex mon...
280324   The Music of Clay Ruby & Buri...
290224   Sutcliffe No More - Normal Ev...
100124   Occlusion - The Operation Is...
181223   Best Of 2023 - Music, Sound &...
051223   Powerhouse Films - Of Magic, ...
181023   IO - Of Sound, Of Art, Of Exp...
210923   Lucky Cerruti - Of Not so Fri...
290823   The Residents - The Trouble W...
110723   Yotzeret Sheydim Interview - ...
250523   TenHornedBeast - Into The Dee...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom