Arthur Magazine
V.A. : So much fire to roast human flesh (US,2006)***°
It was time for Josephine Foster to compile an album and to find artists for this Arthur Magazine related album.
I read that “the idea is to counter slick propaganda efforts for the recruitment campaigns”. According to Arthur editor Jay Babcock "An eye-opening study issued this August by the Government Accountability Office reported that 'allegations and service-identified incidents of recruiter wrongdoing' increased almost 50 percent between 2004 and 2005. Criminal violations more than doubled over the same period of time. Increasingly common tactics used by the nation's 20,000 military recruiters range from lying about the financial benefits of service to threatening high school students with arrest if they back out of an enlistment process already underway. Military recruiters have also been assisting recruits in the falsification of documents to cover up conditions like autism, mental illness and serious drug problems that would bar them from service if reported." (Just heard that just recently a law has been accepted that even with a criminal record you can join the army.
Mostly contributing, are invited participants who made themselves noticed in association in the growing number group of psychfolk and freakfolk related musicians. Most songs are kind of political protest songs, and meant as a warning not to let yourself be influenced by the recruting officers. Some of the tracks sound somewhat improvised and recorded privately on occasion.
The first track, by Cherry Blossems, is such a funny garage-in-the-backyard recording of loose found-notes-on-found instruments with vocals heavily influenced by vast amounts of Chinese fastfood. The occasional last track by Lay All Over It, contains very acoustic rhythmic cleverness, with a jazz loop bass, and affected singing for the music sake, with lyrics based on a poem by Oba Maja, a former collaborator of Sun Ra, now street poet. Others really go for the protest song itself, often with an Americana influence, but free and distant from the genre association.
Folk legend (?) Michael Hurly sings such a primitive Americana protest song. Also Andrew Bar sings a direct, and very effective protest song (“don’t listen…”). Also the contribution by Angels of Light, by Michael Gira singing acoustically with an American accent, fits in that category, as well as John Allingham and Ann Tiley. The mostly psychfolk flavoured the Feathers community delivers an electric driven protest rock song. The only protest song that has a bit of an annoying atmosphere at times is the track by Charlie Nothing. Not only does he plays overly loose musicless guitar ramblings, some of his lyrics have brainless moments of inspiration, with an overuse of ugly and brainless words like “poop, piss, fuck” as if it can oppose less comprehensible political decisions, and as if a bland reaction without its own philosophy can stand up in power against it. However when he's saying “they’re rulers, not leaders” I think this is an interesting idea. Anyhow, this example gives an idea of an expression of someone who feels something is wrong in their heart but cannot express the details of why yet because the emotional reaction is stronger than the investigation, an inward view or any philosophy. It is acceptable as a representation of most people who can’t find the time to get themselves reorganised, and who only feel confused when hearing falsifications ; they don't know yet what to say because in general people were not urged or encouraged to develop too much the background information and philosophy that can lead to real changes, because the temporally rulers are still too much depending on keeping the things rolling as they are. They prefer not to take too many risks, a fundament which actually proves there still is more retaining power that logical fluidity of practical changes.
Also listed from the psychfolk/freakfolk milieu stimulators are Matt Valentine and Erica Eldersand of course Devendra Banhart with a demo song in his typical style.
Last type of contributors are the beautiful female voices with some intuitive musical inspirations that benefit the atmosphere and some emotional character in their voices. Meg Baird (Espers) sings beautifully in a British folk tradition style (Anne Briggs,..). More girly voices with an odd flavour, -(Josephine Foster fits well, and of course is also listed, with a magical performance, as ever)-, are Coatgirl, and Rachel Mason, who on her turn fits well with the beautiful emotional singing of Diane Gluck. Another sweet voice with nice arrangements can be heard on the contribution from Kath Bloom (violin, acoustic guitar, voice). Also very beautiful is Kathleen Baird’s vocals and arrangement, a more peaceful alternative, and a wishful prayer for silence.
The only track on the album that has less a slightly different stylistic association is the indie folk contribution by Pajo.
In general I must say, it is a very enjoyable and well compiled release.
All profits will go to specific counter-military recruitment and pacifist organizations and programs who effectively advise high school students and other Americans at risk of being taken advantage of by the military's recruiters and omnipresent big-budget marketing campaigns.
