THE LONESOME ORGANIST: "Mullard", "The Fire Ants" b/w "Monkey On My Hi Hat", "Rolling My Eyes Like Dice", "The Last Round Up" 7" single

The sum total of bio information on this artist takes up precious little space on the sleeve--"The Lonesome Organist plays: keyboard instruments, percussion, harmonica, guitar, and vocals at the same time. Recorded live to two-track by Andy Bryant." Consequently, the listener is instantly hipped to the "quirk factor"; had I not read these words, my reaction to this record almost certainly would have been different. Just goes to show how a few words of text can color a record and an opinion. In this case, they do the job well. Imagining a guy breathing through a harmonica while plucking guitar strings, pressing some extremity on a Casio key, and stomping repeatedly on a bass drum provides some satisfaction during a critical listen. This recording falls easily under the nebulous descriptor "out-there-weirdo-experimental-noise." I happen to dig certain forays into this genre. The myriad squeals of delayed feedback, reverberating beats, and odd jangles and squiggles combine into a pleasing stew. Laying this stuff down in a more conventional studio setting would seem like overkill, and what's the use of a one-man band if he gets to overdub? (Thrill Jockey, P.O. Box 476794, Chicago, IL 60647)