LSD March "Rubious Red Void" aRCHIVE – Music Review

The noise is the voice of the gods of chaos. In noise, all possible sounds are present albeit in a non-kaleidoscopic hierarchy. The noise does not allow our expectations of order to materialize to come true. It outstrips us and our plans, leaving us vulnerable, stunned. Don’t let this fool you though, noise is music. From early recordings of DADA and futuristic artists like Hugo Ball and Luigi Russolo on Musique Concrete to the sirens and crackles of Public Enemy’s “The Bomb Squad” and to the current aural assaults on SunnO))), noise is music. Noise is our world too. Think about the soundscape you move through each day. All the alarms and sirens and microwave beeps and computer beeps and Doppler effects of cars and snippets and snippets and jackhammers and helicopters and horns and laughter and static and doors that open and close and insects and birds and ocean waves and bed springs and all that. We are adrift in a sea of ​​noise.

Japan is apparently crazy about noise. Since the late 1960s, the Japanese underground has produced some of the scariest, most exaggerated, and sublime sounds the world has ever known. Two of the first providers, Keiji Haino and Les Razilles Denudes, were just devastating. Pass a bit of Zeni Geva, Merzbow and Masonna and you will find yourself in some serious schizophrenic territory.

Today’s providers like Acid Mother’s Temple and Ghost are expanding the reach and impact of Eternal Noise Theater. What does Japan have specifically? Could it be the legacy of being the only country bombarded with nuclear weapons? That certainly seems to have contributed to the stream of atomic monster movies produced over the past 40 years in Japan. Mothra, Gammara, and of course Godzilla seemed to include variations on the nuclear bombs and accidents theme. Is it the vibrant and enhanced drama of Kabuki and Noh theaters? Is youth street culture wildly colorful? The full body tattoos of the Japanese mafia? The religious response to nature so prevalent in Shinto? I guess it’s not a particular thing. It’s more likely just an accumulation of a rich and colorful heritage combined with some very creative souls.

Interestingly, not all noise is particularly loud. In fact, some of the most interesting uses for noise may be in smaller, quieter sound events.

There is an entire record label called Tiny that explores some of these quieter noise events. Other noises can be quite melancholic. Think of the band “The Birthday Party” or even some of Tom Waits on “Swordfishtrombones” or “Heart Attack and Vine”. Noise can be used subtly to convey sadness or strategically to highlight an explosive moment. This is the realm in which we find LSD March and their latest reissued release, “Empty Rubious Red” (aRCHIVE).

As stated above, this disc is a reissue of a previously (and microscopically available) standalone version. It has a couple of bonus tracks and some great new artwork by Joe DeNardo from the band “Growing.”

While some of the aforementioned noise traders come out of the box swinging, LSD March tends to take a bit longer. The songs begin with strange, silent jingles. They sound like springs bursting and marbles rolling across a piano. LSD March protagonist Shinsuke Michishita is a master of restraint. But when things finally break loose, watch out! The music on this record is really a good variety. There are quiet and melancholic moments. Sometimes (“As Many A Stars In The Sky” and “Nude and Bizarre”) he dives into burnt, parched folk music. Ethereal songs serve as a nice counterpoint to monstrously thunderous jams like “Empty Rubious Red.” LSD March may not be as full of noise as The Boredoms say. They are more psychedelic, folk, and drone-based. As with many great Japanese bands, they are synthetists. This is great music to listen to while gazing at the vast ocean on a clear day from a high cliff. It represents the quietest and most expansive possibilities in the noise equation.

This album is out of stock at aRCHIVE, but you can download the full album from the Lotushouse Records mp3 shop area. [http://www.lotushouserecords.com/shop].

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