Tomutonttu is the solo project of Jan Anderzen from Finland, probably best know for his work with Kemialliset Ystavat (which started as his solo project and has since grown into a band). Vodka Soap is the solo project of Spencer Clark from The Skaters, and although the name Samara Lubelski may not sound familiar you have probably heard one of the many bands that she has been in over the years, going back trhough The Sonora Pine, Hall of Fame, and Tower Recordings. On this tour she is playing with one of the members of Jackie-O-Motherfucker, and after this one is over she is heading out again as a member of Thurston Moore’s band. I don't think that either Tom Carter or Christian Kiefer need an intro around here, they have an excellent new instrumental duo CD out on the Great Pop Supplement label, and are playing just a couple of shows around in support of that just released disc.
B
If that ain't enough, here is more information than you probably would ever want:
Samara Lubelski:
Review excerpt (Pitchfork):
Can music get any gentler than this? Spectacular of Passages isn't "soft" in the sense of "soft rock" or "the quiet is the new loud"; carving her own niche of idyllic bedroom psychedelia, Samara Lubelski's newest takes pop orchestrations to levels of insulation previously unimagined-- it's as though she recorded her murmured symphony inside a down pillow and comforter.
Unlike de rigueur solo folkies, Lubelski isn't afraid to surround herself with an airy "teenage symphony to god" army. According to the liner notes, there are 15 participants here, not including the multi-instrumental, knob-turning Lubelski. Donning headphones, it's fascinating to try charting the ingenious ways she tucks and repositions the players into such a precise sound. The album was recorded between Germany and Brooklyn with a cast that includes some of her ex-Tower Recordings chums: P.G. Six on baroque flute and 12-string and Tim Barnes on drums/percussion. Among the other guests are Matt Heyner of No Neck Blues Band on upright bass and Espers' cellist Helena Espvall. Of course, Lubelski comes armed with everything from guitar and violin to poppi shakers, mellotron, and her lovely voice.
For those who don't recognize Samara's name-- well, shame on you. Actually, no, she's such an understated, ethereal figure (think 4AD taken down a notch) that her relative anonymity makes sense. Still, she's been doing great things for a long time, whether fronting the trio Hall of Fame, playing internationally with Metabolismus, or working as an engineer at Brooklyn's Rare Book Room where she recorded the Fiery Furnaces and Magik Markers, among others. Her history with Tower Recordings was mentioned above, and she's also collaborated with everyone from Tara Jane O'Neil and White Magic to Jackie-O Motherfucker and Tony Conrad.
-Brandon Stosuy, January 27, 2006
vid:
Web:
http://www.samaralubelski.com/home.html
http://www.myspace.com/samaralubelski
Jan Anderzen:
KY vid (kinda on the noisiest side of what he does, but what the heck):
Brand new limited 2007 solo work from Spencer Clarke of The Skaters that teleports straight into the nowhere zone with Native American rhythms and power visions, sudden spurts of percussive tape spool, choirs of alien visitation and what sounds like gamelan works scored for tiny pulses of light. With every jump cut the whole thing just seems to devolve into deeper, more primal alphabets until it sounds like the first music you ever heard, while your auditory canals were still connected to the source. Aspects of Cluster and Harmonia, Sun Ra's wiggiest keyboard visions, Terry Riley, early choral music, Nico and even Fripp and Eno combine in a fog-shrouded paean to black exotica. Profoundly beautiful and another monster from Vodka Soap. Colour covers with insert. Highly recommended.