Assoted Music Reviews

The Fire This Time: Basslines & Ballistics

(Extreme, 1995, CD-EP)

This Australian-based record label is known more for its presentations

of experimental music and sound recordings from the likes of MuslimGauze

and Mexican artist Jorge Reyes. Longtime independent spoken work

cassette producer, Patrick Andrade, whose more than 10 releases in as

many years resulted in the Juno nominated Till The Bars Break

(Irresistible/Maya/Revolutionary, 1991) has now been added to the

international roster.

The Jamaican born Rasta-anarchist initially joined together Black,

Native and subversive White artists to deliver a musical message of

political and historical connections between people of color in North

America to inject some reality and rebellion into both alternative and

mainstream worlds of music and expression.

The newest project under the collective heading The Fire This Time,

weaves together the influences and ammunition of hip-hop, spoken word

and Native music charged with potent and urgent messages that reflect a

reality that most avoid. The end result is a four track sampling of a

soon-to-be released larger work. The objective is to call upon a deeper

consciousness of political, historical and social realities of a much

more progressive desire to achieve a goal of unification rather than

hollow opportunism and exploitation of image.

This preview as well as the upcoming full-length discs are a

pre-requisite for any progressive radio station library. For more

information, contact: Brent Wilcox C/O Fifth World Media, 1071 Main St.

#200, Cambria, CA 93428; Fax: (805)927-0384, Tel: (805)927-2827 or on

the internet: extreme@well.sf.ca.us.

Life Blood

Silver Wave

Joanne Shenandoah & Peter Kater, 1995

Ready to relax after a good soaking in the sensory deprivation tank?

Something quite out of the ordinary for Shenandoah fans but maybe not so

much for the New Age music crowd. The Boulder, Colorado-based Silver

Wave label specializes in such enhancement material and more notable

with the collaborative works of pianist Peter Kater and Native American

flute player, R. Carlos Nakai. This venture may not so unusual for

Joanne Shenandoah, however, since part of her earlier music career

involved her recordings used as a healing tool in recovery wards in the

U.S.

Life Blood marks a new direction for Shenandoah, whose music career is

to say the least, somewhat electic. Her first Canyon Records release in

1989 presented her now trademark and much loved traditional Iroquoian

singing as well a original country ans western tunes along side some

Floyd Westerman covers of his famous tunes. Life Blood takes Shenandoah

in a completely different direction in a cross-over of Skanye singing

embellished with light, airy piano accompaniment provided by Peter Kater

who also provides syzed nature sounds. All traditional songs have been

recorded by Shenandoah on her first recording, perhaps because it is

these songs that she is allowed to carry into the music recording world.

On this recording the songs have been altered in terms of tempo and

arrangement. The important element that is clear on the is recording is

Shenandoah's voice and is after all the most important reason to give it

a listen. Life Blood can be transfused from Silver Wave Records, P.O.

box 7943, Boulder, Colorado 80306. Tel: (303)443-5617