Wide Open Spaces

One of the finest pieces of sample art/pluderphonics/electronic strangeness I have ever heard. This is a live recording done in October 2002 at the SF Art Institute. There is a running “country and western” theme that includes farm sounds, country music (including Dolly Parton), live slide guitar, samples from the Bonanza TV show and much more. The collaboration between the 3 groups went off better than I could have ever expected. The silliness of People Like Us, the fast pace of Wobbly and the patience of Matmos. When this was performed there was also some video work by People Like Us and sometimes the music went with the videos and sadly you don’t get that affect here. Wobbly and Matmos are bay area groups.

**1. A wonderful mellow beginning with disconcerting electronic sounds, roosters, slide guitar, desert sounds, horse sounds, slide guitar, all welcoming us to the Happy Valley ranch.
**2. Umm, umm, umm, um. What’s the special Tex? Hey Ben, how bout Ponderosa? Seems every time we get together someone wants to hear Ponderosa. Very much in the style of PLU
**3. A cold and scary promo for digital country that is directed towards radio program directors. The pace starts to pick up on this track with lots of gun shots over dance beats.
4. More Ponderosa samples and then a version of Shenandoah.
5. Strange electronics, more calls for Ponderosa, noisy. Hard percussion but I can’t tell what’s making the sound.
6. “first stop” and a track that sounds a lot like Matmos. Ends with another call for Ponderosa.
7. A guy singing a little tune and then getting shot. Then some sounds of guys at a market calling out the prices of different meats.
8. Some odd country and borderline yodeling. With lots of other sounds thrown in.
9. Mellower track with lots of slide guitar playing from one of the Matmos guys.
10. “This road don’t go there” and an acoustic guitar loop. There is something about this track that’s disconcerting.
11. “I’m coming from somewhere” along with almost a dance beat and lots of other sounds. Turns into wonderful total chaos. Ends with lots of phones ringing and “hello”.
12. Old country singing. Gets quiet towards the end.
**13. Bonanza saying goodnight to us with some of the sounds from the first track. Ends with 2 minutes of VERY quiet sounds.
Amazing stuff!! -mph