pretazzo

I quote, in turn, BUT REALLY REALLY.

See easy, the point is this: when talking about "emotion" (referring to music), we tend to always think of immediate musical forms, like verse-chorus songs, with catchy melodies or engaging riffs or driving rhythms… in short, music that hits the heart directly and effectively: and here the examples are abundant, as they cover a range of listening that can go from The Smiths to Nirvana, from Black Sabbath to Genesis, from Joy Division to Slayer (all these bands, despite their obvious differences, are based on at least one of the aspects I mentioned above: sometimes the granite riff, sometimes the engaging rhythm, sometimes the catchy melody, sometimes the regular/simple/no-frills structure). When faced with works like Trout Mask Replica, or Twin Infinitives or Dub Housing or Emotional Plague or any other "quirky," twisted record that overturns every traditional rule regarding rhythm, harmony, structure, counterpoint, etc., that radically experiments with the basic components of music until it reaches dissonance, cacophony, (alleged) unlistenability, confusion, fragmentation, etc... in the face of this type of work, one is often led to make statements like: "okay, a brave, avant-garde, cerebral, innovative record, but where are the emotions? the communicativeness? the ability to resonate with the soul?" Well, I might be sick, but Trout Mask Replica gives me emotions, chills, thrills, etc... emotions of a different kind compared to those I feel while listening to The Smiths or Nirvana or Joy Division, emotions that are less immediate, more complex and sophisticated, and therefore also more difficult to convey and describe, but still equally intense emotions. Now, you mentioned a "sense of destabilization": that works. But there’s more: the problem is finding the right words to express the sensations that such a cryptic and disorienting record can evoke in the soul of the listener (and in those willing to travel in its own "wavelength," those ready to "accept the challenge"). There are various types, grades, levels of emotion: the lack of immediacy and accessibility of a record does not in any way compromise the possibility of experiencing "beautiful emotions" while listening to it.

I completely agree with easycure's analysis... I also believe that Wire were one of the pivotal bands of the new wave, precisely because of their ability to absorb the immediacy of punk and embed it in disorienting constructions, expressing that sense of frustration, neurosis, anxiety, fatalism, and impotence that is a bit the slender common thread of such a varied non-genre as new wave... this debut of theirs is certainly not a masterpiece like 154, but it contains some memorable tracks, a great performance by C. Newman (one of the most exemplary singers of the new wave), and some effective flashes of guitar minimalism, truly ahead of their time (Feelies aside).

Okay, thank you for the clarifications.

"but to whom, what, and how much can it convey?" <<< to me (who) it conveys a lot of (how much) beautiful emotions (what) :-)

this review didn't excite me much, it felt somewhat cold... moreover, some things left me puzzled: "it received multiple feedback from critics and the public"; "anticipating German cosmic music by at least five years with the lysergic 'Former Reflections Enduring Doubt'."

I only know them by name; your review piqued my interest.

Probably the best review of the past few months. Congratulations. The album is nice too, even if I listen to it every now and then.

"Simply unbearable record" <<< but where??? :-O

Five stars, without hesitation, for this masterpiece of twentieth-century music, outside of any genre, any trend, any movement. A round of applause for the reviewer and their clear, sober, and measured presentation, which (I bet) will bring several debaserians (regulars or passing through) closer to La Truite.