Chatham, Rhys / Outdoor Spell
Album: Outdoor Spell   Collection:General
Artist:Chatham, Rhys   Added:Mar 2011
Label:Northern Spy Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2011-07-17 Pull Date: 2011-09-18 Charts: Classical/Experimental
Week Ending: Sep 11 Aug 21 Jul 24
Airplays: 1 1 4

Recent Airplay
1. Jun 12, 2013: minimum entropy
The Magician
4. Jul 22, 2011: Songs: Cantan
Crossing The Sword Bridge Of The Abyss
2. Sep 07, 2011: Memory Select
Crossing The Sword Bridge Of The Abyss [2nd half]
5. Jul 21, 2011: bricolage ii
The Magician
3. Aug 17, 2011: Memory Select
The Magician
6. Jul 20, 2011: bricolage i
Outdoor Spell

Album Review
Red West
Reviewed 2011-07-13
Instrumental experimental minimalism. Each track is for the most part a texture and evolves minimally. They’re some interesting textures. Rhys became famous in NYC in the 80’s for his guitar symphonies, influencing (and utilizing) luminaries such as Sonic Youth and Swans with his loud, large, minimal compositions for dozens of electric guitars. He’s now moved to France, and moved on from guitars, though there is one on track 4

1. Mouthsounds, similar to Tuvan overtone singing, in a consonant drone. Trumpets, muted, in unison with the voices.
2. Several parts to this one. Starts with crunchy staccato distorted blown raspberries? A little melody warbles in the background and comes to fore, turns to a squonkfest, then a drone. Then the obnoxious farting raspberries, more squonks, and the drone instruments do a two-note melody. (The drone reminds me of early Bruce Gilbert & Graham Lewis)
3.thin circular squonking over a funky irregular rhythm. Bassy “brrrrp” breaths bubble. Gives impression of a rite, like the title says.
4.Wacky percussion & trumpet, fast and noodly and free. 2nd half adds expansive guitar, percussion gets more insistent, plus strange agitated sounds. Ends with blend of calm and frenzy.

Track Listing
1. Outdoor Spell   3. Corn Maiden's Rite
2. Crossing The Sword Bridge Of The Abyss   4. The Magician