mike pope's "musical saw" review

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="040a11c3.png"> <div> <B>r</B></div> <div> <B>e</B></div> <div> <B>v</B></div> <div> <B>i</B></div> <div> <B>e</B></div> <div> <B>w</B></div> <div> <B>s</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Erno : The Psychedelic Folk Experience</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC99" FACE="Arial" >     </FONT>|   <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Erno : The Psychedelic Folk Experience"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mike popes satellite parade review"><U>mike pope's satellite parade review</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ernos musical saw session review"><U>erno's "musical saw" session review</U></A>   |   <B>mike pope's "musical saw" review</B>   |   <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ernos personal 10/10/98 cbgb gallery sho"><U>erno's personal 10/10/98 cbgb gallery show review</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ernos personal 6/98 albany, ny show revi"><U>erno's personal 6/98 albany, ny show review</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id137.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="erno lighting director after 1st cbgb g"><U>erno & lighting director after 1st cbgb gallery show chat</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id138.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ginas 10/10/98 cbgb gallery show review"><U>gina's 10/10/98 cbgb gallery show review</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id139.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="sampler cd review 1"><U>sampler cd review #1</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id140.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="sampler cd review 2"><U>sampler cd review #2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id141.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="sampler cd review 3"><U>sampler cd review #3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id142.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="sampler cd review 4"><U>sampler cd review #4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id143.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="sampler cd review 5"><U>sampler cd review #5</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id144.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="sampler cd review 6"><U>sampler cd review #6</U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2ecf4010.png" border=0 width="500" height="1" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <img src="HTMLobj-669/aniGif.gif" border="0" align="bottom" width="185" height="52">  </div> <bR> <div> musical saw review</div> <div> by mike pope 9/10/98</div> <bR> <div> Musical Saw</div> <div> Erno</div> <bR> <div>     I cannot comment on this album impersonally, as I have watched the development of the man we know as Erno since 1985. Knowing the history, as it were, and being an occasional part of it, I can with some sense of credulity peg Musical Saw as the second installment in a renaissance of creativity begun with last winter's Satellite Parade. In some senses, MS is a direct continuation of its predecessor, but more emphasis is placed on recent material, as well as the use of the recording studio as an instrument unto itself. Tom's in-progress bulletin alluded to an improved sound quality which is certainly evident, esp. given that MS was pressed on a gold CD (at least advance promos of it were). Within, we are treated to just over a half-hour's worth of mini-musical epiphanies, ranging from the space groove of "Fly A Kite" to acoustic pop ballads of a very human, heartfelt nature ("Mistakes", "Sleep On Your Side"). What follows is an in-depth tour, from the perspective of one who's had so many Erno-isms bounced off him over the years that getting inside Tom's singular musical sphere has become effortless.</div> <bR> <div> "Fly A Kite"</div> <div>     An Erno trademark last heard on the title track of Satellite Parade is in immediate evidence here........spare guitars w/ an emphasis on texture more than composition, a steady pulse of percussion that adds a sense of humanity not often seen in electronic beats, a disembodied, floating vocal.........the best of Erno are the ones that send you into a trance.....this one does just that, with a whiff of a nod to the Pixies for dessert.</div> <bR> <div> "Sleep On Your Side"</div> <div>     Quite possibly the most openly emotional tune in Erno's history....it's repeated, haiku-like lyrics carry loneliness out of its lofty regions into a nightly occurrence. Love songs are few and far between from Tom, and it's refreshing to hear him get down and dirty with his deeper feelings once in a while......</div> <bR> <div> "What Now, Little Man?"</div> <div>     The first appearance of samples that recall the "anything is musical" sampling experiments of Mick Jones and Don Letts in Big Audio Dynamite frame this killer groove piece, built on carefully restrained feedback guitar and cyber-funk drums. For me, Erno is a guitarist of the first order before he's anything else. This one makes a case for that classification, putting his inimitable guitar style out front.</div> <bR> <div> "The Ray"</div> <div>     The lyrics of this song might make a great music video........despite its seemingly cold sci-fi subject matter.......you end up feeling something for the "ray" by the song's end........the contradiction of having some very thoughtfully played pensive music underneath the story helps........</div> <bR> <div> "Feel The Bomb"</div> <div>     Every Erno project has at least one song that's begging for it's own mondo-remixes single.........on this way-too-short-for-me piece, Tom shows his mastery of groove.......as in "Fly A Kite" but far more sinister..........</div> <bR> <div> "Snow"</div> <div>     One of this album's highlights comes here......more crafty guitar and one of Erno's best vocal performances leave you with a melody you keep singing after the song ends.</div> <bR> <div> "Mistakes"</div> <div>     At the start of this song it didn't grab me......I found the lyric more interesting than the music (layered acoustic guitars, mainly). Something must have grown on me, because when it was over I found myself wanting the long ending section to be even longer. I can't explain it. Maybe after I hear it a few more times I'll be able to explain how this song has affected me. A very duplicitous effect!</div> <bR> <div> "Tree"</div> <div>     Having been a part of the composition and original recording of this, I can approach this one from an intimate angle. Highly enjoyable to me were the guitar-as-sound-effects ideas that were barely hinted at when the song was first conceived, as well as the looser, more conversational vocal delivery.......(those of you who've heard the scarce original from '93 can attest to its robotic qualities.......)</div> <bR> <div> "Icicles"</div> <div>     A snippet of an oldie (first recorded with words and longer length around late '94) that kills me with a sophisticated string arrangement over a solemn acoustic guitar......as short as it is, it serves as a beautiful introduction to the album's best moment, in my opinion.........</div> <bR> <div> "Merely Obvious"</div> <div>     All of Tom's major influences have coalesced here........One can pick out Devo, King Crimson, etc etc or one can ignore them completely.........whatever influences are there (I hear a semblance of Tom's song "Move"-search it out, it's worth it) have amalgamated themselves into something that is wholly original here..........a probing synth line sets the sparse pace........and the vocal effects are perfect, and perfectly chilling........might be the most "out there" thing he's done yet, and the experiment was definitely successful. This one scares the hell out of me, and in my own twisted me that makes it the centerpiece of the record. Classic.</div> <bR> <div> "Fly A Kite" (reprise)</div> <div>     Kind of the sunrise after the dark night that is "Merely Obvious", more of the opening groove, with some permutations including more sampling, closes Musical Saw on a note that says "Relax. Play it again." but also leaves one wondering where he'll go next............</div> <bR> <div>     After 13 years, I can only write my honest reactions........if it's classic or if it's trash, I'll say so....... Final Conclusion: Musical Saw is a brilliant, bumpy ride into rarely charted musical seas. Makes me keen for Bunk as well as the presence of Erno on my own work. An original artist in an unoriginal time is something any listener will savor if they know what's good for them.....................</div> <div> Mike Pope</div> <div> 10 Sept 1998</div> </td> </tr></table></body>