Silent Fires

Neurosis marks 30 years with Fires Within Fires, their 11th album. It's uncharacteristically economical, clocking in at a mere 40 minutes, their shortest since 1992's Souls at Zero. Engineered by Steve Albini (their sixth collaboration in a row), it takes stock of the places Neurosis has been since leaving behind their post-hardcore roots to pioneer the strange world of "post-metal." Opener "Bending Light" commences with a slow, doomy bassline and a guitar vamp that directly references Pink Floyd's "Nile Song" - specifically the Necros' mid-'80s cover - but uncouples itself to wander more jagged atmospheric terrain with sparse, bluesy guitar lines and darkly hued sonic effects from keyboardist Noah Landis…

This album features trio performances by pianist Bud Powell, bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Roy Haynes that were recorded live at a Washington D.C. club; they were released for the first time in 1982. Powell is in consistently exciting form (this was one of his good nights) and the musicians sound inspired and creative during the set of bop-oriented standards. This recording concludes with a couple of excerpts from Bud Powell interviews held in 1963, giving listeners a rare chance to hear his voice.

This duo being comprised of Library Tapes' David Wengrenn & man of the moment Danny Norbury. 'Fires' is actually their second combined effort (the first being LT's beautiful 'Sketches') and is a CD on ambient/drone/neo classical behemoth Home Normal. Some of the intertwining cello work on this magical CD recalls Dirty Three or Godspeed's more tranquil moments while sombre piano exploration, Dulcitone embellishment and brittle swathes of field recordings tinker busily below the surface, hardly audible. As far as contemporary classical albums go, 'Fires' is by far one of the most evocative & free-flowing. You'd swear there was a multitude of chamber players at work here by the way the strings have been edited & layered - the sheer grace & fluidity, the way it all segues & flows, as a cello stroke starts to fade, another swoops in leaving you feeling touched by magic.

A less-than-characteristically beat-oriented collaboration with Namlook and Biosphere's Geir Jenssen on the former's noted Fax label. It's a nonetheless stellar four track CD, with lush, well-composed material split evenly between uptempo feet movers and sprawling, stirring ambient. Reissued by Ambient World with different artwork.