Izvajalec: Non Credo
Založba: Samozaložba
Izid: year
Ocena: 4.6/5
Non Credo je duo, ki ga sestavljata dva multi-instrumentalista, lepa Kira Vollman in Joseph Berardi. Na prizorišču sta se najprej pojavila leta 1988, ko sta izdala Reluctant Hosts. Skupina je torej že dolgo na sceni, ta album pa je njun drugi.
Da sta izdala Happy Wretched Family sta potrebovala kar sedem let (kar niti ni čudno glede na to, da nista profesionlca), a splačalo se je počakati. Vollman in Berardi nista le posnela albuma, ki bi bil dostojen naslednjik prvencu, temveč sta ustvarila nekaj, kar ga v mnogih vidikih celo prekaša.
Glasbo tega dvojca je res težko definirati. Sposobna sta čisto vsega. Včasih ju slišimo igrati sofisticiran komorni rock, v stilu velikanov žanra, Univers Zero, včasih pa se slišijo tudi trši motive, kot na primer metalski deli na Piano Urine. Kot pri veliko avantgardnih skupinah, veliko glasbe sloni na disonanci, a ta dvojec ima očitno posluh tudi za melodičnost in te lažje poslušljive dele kombinirata z eksperimentalnimi in vse skupaj izpade izredno dobro. Nikoli nimaš občutka kot da je kaj prisiljeno ali da kaj ne ustreza. Še en pomemben element je glas Kire Vollman, ki bi Non Credo lahko uvrstil v kategorijo zeuhla, če bi že hotel komplicirati. Vollman uporablja veliko različnih vokalnih tehnik, podobno kot Vander v Magmi, tako da iz njenih ust pride veliko raznolikih in ambicioznih zvokov, ki včasih delujejo izjemno, včasih pa malo manj, a vsekakor vedno zanimivo. Poje v opernem slogu, kar je spet podobnu zeuhlu. A kakorkoli že gledamo, glasba govori sama zase. In glasba je še vedno sveža, izvirna in zveni tako čudovito kot pred petnajstimi leti. Če si privrženec zahtevne glasbe in te ne moti malo vokalne norije, potem bi ta album vsekakor priporočal.
Dvojcu na parih skladbah pomaga Bernard Sauser-Hall, ki igra klaviature. Njegov doprinos je še posebej opazen na briljantni Piano Urine, ki je pravi prikaz vseh elementov avantgarde. A duo pravzaprav te pomoči niti ne potrebuje, sama sta več kot sposobna ustvariti noro dober album. Berardi je v glavnem izjemen tolkalist, a odgovoren je tudi za klaviature, kitaro in bas. Podobno nalogo ima Kira Vollman, ki igra klaviature, bas, kitaro in klarinet, prav tako pa tudi poje. Njen glas je izjemen. Svoje operne sposobnosti izrablja v svoj prid in glasbi da majhen zeuhl pridih. Resnično gre za talentiran dvojec, na žalost pa nista tako priznana kot bi lahko bila.
Non Credo igrata riskantno glasbo, a riziki se v glavnem obrestujejo. To loči dobre eksperimentalce od slabih – da znajo nehati, še posebej , ko najdejo zvok ali melodijo, ki sta dobra. Album ni za privržence “varne”, “ziheraške” glasbe, ki je napisana v uveljavljenih glasbenih normah. To ni glasba, ki bi vsebovala tisto klasično lepoto, za katero mnogi stremijo. Kot večina najboljših eksperimentalnih skupin, tudi dvojec Non Credo oblikuje samosvoje estetske vrednote in če jim boste dali priložnost, vam bodo odprle nov glasben svet!
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Non Credo is a duet consisting of two multi-instrumentalist, the beautiful Kira Vollman and Joseph Berardi. They first burst on the scene with the 1988 release Reluctant Hosts. So, the band has been around for some time and this album is their second release.
It took them seven years to release this effort after the great Reluctant Hosts, but it was definitely worth the wait. Vollman and Berardi not only managed to do an album that was a worthy successor to the debut, but actually created something that in many ways surpasses it.
It is extremely difficult to define exactly what kind of music this pair plays. Anything goes, basically. Sometimes we hear them doing some sophisticated chamber rock in the style of the masters of the genre, Univers Zero, sometimes we hear them doing heavier stuff, like the metal parts in “Piano Urine”. A lot of their music is indeed, like most avant-garde, based on dissonance, but it is obvious that they have an ear for a good melody as well. So they combine these sometimes very catchy tunes with experiments. And it all works amazingly well. You never get a feeling like anything is forced or out of place. An important element is the voice of Kira Vollman, which could put Non Credo in the category of zeuhl music, especially if I were being nitpicky. Vollman uses a lot of different vocal techniques, just like Vander in Magma, so that so many different and ambitious sounds emanate from her. It is truly amazing. She also sings in a very operatic way, which is another zeuhl characteristic. But anyway you look at it, the music speaks for itself. And the music is still as fresh, original and sounds as wonderful now as it did 15 years ago. If you are a fan of challenging music and do not mind a bit of vocal havoc, then I urge you to buy this record.
The duo are helped on a couple of tracks by Bernard Sauser-Hall on keyboards. His contribution is most noticeable on the brilliant “Piano Urine”, a true portrayal of all the aspects of the avant-garde. Not that the duo needs any help really. They manage just fine on their own. Berardi is mostly an excellent drummer, but he put down some keyboards and guitar parts as well. Kira Vollman is a superb vocalist, using the operatic qualities of her voice to her advantage and giving the music a zeuhl edge. She also plays keyboards, guitars, basses and the clarinet. They truly are a talented pair, but unfortunately they do not get the recognition they deserve.
This music takes a lot of risks and most of them pay off. That’s what distinguishes the good experimenters from the bad. Non Credo know when to draw the line, especially when they find a sound or melody they like. This is not for fans of safe, middle of the road music, or music written in the established musical forms that are deemed “pretty”. Non Credo, like most of the best experimental bands, create their own aesthetic values and if you give them a chance, they will blow your mind!
Zasedba
Joseph Berardi – tolkala, klviature, kitara, bas
Kira Vollman – vokal, bas, kitara, klarinet, klaviature
Gost: Bernard Sauser-Hall – klaviature
Produkcija
Non Credo
Seznam skladb
1. Sporco Mutande
2. Curious Couplings
3. Slips Through Fingers
4. Piano Urine
5. Ambrosia And Arsenic Tango
6. We Can Build You
7. Entzauberung
8. Snake Oil
9. Hacked
10. Big Teeth
11. Pay & Learn
12. Tokyorama
13. Miliza Three Flights Down
14. Arms Trodden Off By The Cows
15. Joyeria
16. Looking For Eddie
17. Happy Wretched Family
