Woodruff Foley, tuo nerokkaan hämäriä levyjä viime vuosina kustantaneen yhdysvaltalaisen outoiluvaihtoehtolevy-yhtiön, Whiteworm Recordsin omistajan alter-ego paisuu paisumistaan. Taiteilijanimellä Harry Cloud operoiva herra levymoguli on loihtinut viimeisen reilun kymmenen vuoden sisään kahdeksan pitkäsoittoa. Niistä tässä ruodinnsn alla viimeisin, “Sexy Tooth Situation“.
Yksin miltei kaikkia soittimia mestaroiva taiteilija on koostanut kappaleita useasta eri osata, lyönyt ne läjään studio-olosuhteissa ja antanut kitaristi-kosketinsoittaja Paul Roesslerin tehdä viimeiset silaukset auditiivisen teoksen julkisivuun. Normaalisti homma on rakentunut duolla hantelissa juuri toisin päin, kitarat ensin ja rummut vasta sitten. Nyt mentiin toisin päin. Mutta mikäs siinä, jos pakka pysyy näinkin johdonmukaisen epäkonventionaalisesti kasassa.
The alter ego of Woodruff Foley, the mastermind behind Whiteworm Records—the American indie label known for releasing brilliantly obscure and eccentric alternative music—continues to expand. Operating under the stage name Harry Cloud, this label mogul has conjured eight full-length albums over the past decade. The latest piece under our microscope is “Sexy Tooth Situation.
Mastering almost all instruments single-handedly, the artist pieced these tracks together from various fragments in the studio, leaving guitarist and keyboardist Paul Roessler to apply the finishing touches to the record’s sonic facade. Usually, the duo works the other way around—guitars first, drums second—but this time they reversed the process. And it works beautifully, keeping the pack together in a consistently unconventional fashion.
“Sexy Tooth Situation” is by no means just a tongue-in-cheek noise-rock album filled with cheap humor. Its nuances balance freely experimental post-rock on one hand, and restrained, angsty moodiness on the other, showcasing the highly refined, warped stylistic sense of Cloud and his co-producer. A prime example of capturing this atmosphere and playing with the listener is the eight-minute epic “Journey to The Centre Of Spirit.” It feels as though an acid-drenched The Jesus Lizard, Captain Beefheart, and a hazy-era The Birthday Party are joining forces with a David Bowie twist.
For an album that initially seems difficult to digest, “Sexy Tooth Situation” turns out to be surprisingly easy and pleasant to listen to. Flowing relatively smoothly into the ears, this beautifully ambiguous sonic piece doubles as highly entertaining mood music.
-Mikko Nissinen
The alter ego of Woodruff Foley, the mastermind behind Whiteworm Records—the American indie label known for releasing brilliantly obscure and eccentric alternative music—continues to expand. Operating under the stage name Harry Cloud, this label mogul has conjured eight full-length albums over the past decade. The latest piece under our microscope is “Sexy Tooth Situation.
Mastering almost all instruments single-handedly, the artist pieced these tracks together from various fragments in the studio, leaving guitarist and keyboardist Paul Roessler to apply the finishing touches to the record’s sonic facade. Usually, the duo works the other way around—guitars first, drums second—but this time they reversed the process. And it works beautifully, keeping the pack together in a consistently unconventional fashion.
“Sexy Tooth Situation” is by no means just a tongue-in-cheek noise-rock album filled with cheap humor. Its nuances balance freely experimental post-rock on one hand, and restrained, angsty moodiness on the other, showcasing the highly refined, warped stylistic sense of Cloud and his co-producer. A prime example of capturing this atmosphere and playing with the listener is the eight-minute epic “Journey to The Centre Of Spirit.” It feels as though an acid-drenched The Jesus Lizard, Captain Beefheart, and a hazy-era The Birthday Party are joining forces with a David Bowie twist.
For an album that initially seems difficult to digest, “Sexy Tooth Situation” turns out to be surprisingly easy and pleasant to listen to. Flowing relatively smoothly into the ears, this beautifully ambiguous sonic piece doubles as highly entertaining mood music. -Mikko Nissinen
