Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Mr. Euphoria (USA, 1983)



Continuing on with American guitar-prog rarities in honour of the upcoming election in the United States, for which I strongly encourage all registered voters and registered nonvoters to go out and vote as soon as possible in yet another useless exercise of wasted time and unnecessary energy so the haughty political oligarchy or rather plutocratic ruling class can feel justified to do whatever it wishes with no regard whatsoever for human beings or their environment (and to think they used to laugh at communist countries for their useless preordained elections--  now you get two identical parties to choose from instead of just one-- woo-hoo!)--  here's the album that to me seemed like a progressive masterpiece utterly lost to time and even to prog fans.  [Footnote: What we need is a real "truth party" that could state the obvious: this is all a vacuous diversion so power can remain with the top point one percenters and the corporations they are eternally married to 'till death do us part'.]

Very simply, this sounds like the tightest, hardest, no-fat version of mid-seventies king crimson you could imagine, as if the great Fripp was totally focussed on song-writing and brutally keen on cutting out all filler, chamber pretensions, and excess frippery. Track 3 (1 Day 1 Month 1 Year) even features some of that trademark staccato Fripp guitar style. 

All songs are instrumentals powered forward by fully-automatic electric guitar chainsaw action.  Occasionally there is a touch of synthesizer (also played by the formidable guitarist, whose name is Richard Rhodes.  His backing band consists of Gordon Rhodes on drums (sib?), Tim Sanz on bass, guest Eric Petersen on synths for track 5.  Tracks 2, 5, 7 are compositions by Sanz and the rest is credited to R. Rhodes.) The energy and tritones never really let up until the fierce ending in which you feel like you scraped your face and right temple on the pavement in extreme music-listening sports.  Guaranteed the ceaseless tritoning and riffs played as thirds (just like Fripp) will drive your wife (and kids, if you're unlucky enough to have those) out of the room, and if they are unable to so leave, they will be begging you for mercy (or at least throwing plates at your head).

When you listen to the rip notice too that the record is mint, the sound couldn't be any cleaner-- oh the joy of listening to that fresh vinyl (from almost 30 years ago) rotate..... and thanks to the mighty osurec for teaching me about this unknown band.  As always I am following in his giant footsteps.

As sample I uploaded the intro, with its awesome hard diminished chord riff, crank it up as loud as you can when you listen, it's awe-inspiring in the manner of the (ancient) seven wonders of the world. Note how the crazy reverbed-out lead guitar plays such interesting harmonies on top of the driving riff.


And the third track "1 Day 1 Month 1 Year" with its "frippertronics:"



Once again I repeat it, how is it possible for music this excellent to be so lost so completely?


26 comments:

Anonymous said...

is there a link please?

Tristan Stefan said...

flac
http://netkups.com/?d=fce047b5b8b51
mp3
http://depositfiles.com/files/r472pe7dk

Marrakech tours said...

nice blog

Dr Dopo said...

Very cool, this one's a keeper. Thanks Tristan

Anonymous said...

cool tristy

Anonymous said...

I'm so grateful for this diamond.
Many many thanks.
In my opinion this album is a must have for every Crimhead.


microBatteur

Buddhabreath said...

Thanks again Tristan for the chance to try this one!

I agree with your comment regarding the plutocratic nature of power in my country, however you are quite mistaken if you think the two major political parties are identical. One party is the party of plutocrats, imperialist war criminals and religious fanatics, the other party is the party of cowards - but they are not all cowards and some of the cowards have a conscience. Furthermore, the cowards are capable of governing, the war criminals are not.

Cheers!

Tristan Stefan said...

are you kidding me -- didn't Obama promise to end the wars (long ago)? perhaps I'm wrong. Near Honolulu there are many army bases, etc., and Pearl Harbor of course. One day we saw a dozen soldiers for an outing at the mall. All were about 20 years old, beautiful young men, tall, fit. 5 out of the 20 had amputated legs. What do you think of that?

Anonymous said...

Heh, Buddhabreath.

I'm not sure what country you're from, but you can't possible be talking about America. It's a country where people of all races, creeds and beliefs can live together with a reasonable amount of harmony.

We may have our disagreements, but this is still a democracy.

It's true that our two-party system is a disaster, but the "cowards" have done far more damage than the "plutocrats."

We're $16.6 trillion in debt and have more than $50 trillion in unfunded liabilities for the "entitlement" programs that the "cowards" (I agree with your description) refuse to touch.

We're reaching the point where every penny of our budget will go toward servicing our debt. Our credit rating is likely to start sinking along with our standard of living.

And Obama's answer is to socialize healthcare, spend even more and buy bonds. Hyperinflation, here we come!

Chicopee

Buddhabreath said...

Obamma ended the Iraq war as promised (no big accomplishment as the agreement preceeded his takling of office). He also escalated in Afgahanistan - he said he would re-focus on Al Qaeda blah blah blaha and that's what hed did. Do I like it, Hell no! Obamma is a big disappointment, but that is beside the point - there are real and important differences between Democrats and Republicans even though both are pretty much brought and sold by the major corporations and the military industrial complex.

What do I think of what you saw? It is criminal - in fact I think that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld eta al should have already been tried by now at the Hague and be awaiting death sentences or life terms for war crimes.

There is insufficient time here to explain why the two parties are different but here's just one from an issue I know is important to you: The Republicans for them most part ignore or even deny Global Climate Change (AGM), the Democrats at least acknowlegde it and have tried to take (far to timid) steps to address it - even Obamma (green tech investment, raising fuel fleet [CAFE] standards, at least trying to propose long term emissions limits and persuing treaties albeit useless thus far, proposing cap & trade to control carbon etc. etc.)

Now is all this inadequate or even acceptable? Again hell no - I did say they were cowards did I not? But is there a differnce between the two parties? Not enough, but hell yes there are real and critical differences on many issues.

Stefan I will not pretend to understand Europeon or even Canadian politics, but I have been closely observing the filthy broken-toilet of a politial system in my country as a native of he DC area since Ronald LivingPieceofShit Ray-Gun. We all have our opinions and I welcome yours Stefan as you are thoughtful and erudite. I'm sure as an outside observer I might learn something from you.

Apologies to everyone else - this is my last political rant - you can PM me Stefan if you havent had enough of my incessant babbling :-)

Cheers!

Tristan Stefan said...

love it buddhabreath, but have you ever read Chomsky for the ultimate take on what is propaganda and what is real?

Tristan Stefan said...

and I think that the way division into two parties artificially creates strife is something people should not get caught up in since it will prove to be the biggest undoing for the US in my opinion, witness the insanity of some of the tea party comments

Tristan Stefan said...

people are constantly being compared for example to nazis or fascists purely for oratorical soundbite shock value

buddhabreath said...

I have indeed read Chomsky Stefan and I'm sure we agree more than disagree on most of these matters.

Chicopee I couldn't disagree with you more I'm afraid. Obamma is not to blame for the deficit nor are entitlement programs, the biggest of which, social security adds not one cent to the debt and according to the CBO and other non-partson studies the Affordable Health Care Act will save money! Also Socialized? really?Are you kidding me? This is a giant giveaway to the private insurers? I'm starting
to suspect you're watching Fox news...

The problem isn't the deficit it is demand and jobs.

It is clearly the fault of the republicans and supply side economics started by Saint Ronnie that we have such a deficit and a bad economy. that and unfunded unnecessary wars...

In ant evener the problem IS NOT the debt - that's what the plutocrats that own the media and the govt. want you to believe - the problem is demand and jobs and as Paul Krugman would say we need a massive stimulus and investment to turn the e anomy around. this is not guesswork this is simple lessons from the past and doing what has proven to work.

I wish we had socialized health care - that is would be effective and moral thing to do. it's a pity that Socialism is a dirty word in the US because Socialism is what built and defended this nation, those who think otherwise have a black hole or coorporate propaganda where their memory should be. Jeez now I sound like Chomsky and I promised no more rants didn't I? sorry!!!

Tristan Stefan said...

If you have read Chomsky then you must realize the democrats and republicans are both two faces of the same plutocratic regime that really doesn't care for the future.

Who speaks for the future, and the children? If you want to know who does pay attention to this issue, look to Norway or other scandinavian countries, where oil revenues have been saved for 50-100 years from hence, where distinct steps have been taken to plan for climate change, where farming ("local foods") is still practiced and understood as relevant, where childcare is available for free for years. These are the countries that I think are likely to fare well in the coming collapse.

Buddhabreath said...

I agree, but it is also true that there are Progressives with progressive ideas in the Democratic party - they are in the minority but they are there - for example the fabulous Elizabeth Warren who is now a Senator elect and Alan Grayson who won his House seat backing a landslide. There is a growing progressive caucus within the Democratic party, siting the Republican party there is just extremism, lies and hatred for the most part. I have read Chomsky but I don't agree with everything he says. Chomsky would probably vote for Obamma. To quote him:

"Obama is quite different from the Republican candidates, and the constituencies of the two political organizations differ, which helps lead to different policies. Over a long stretch, for example, working people have made out better under Democratic than Republican administrations..."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30866.htm

Tristan Stefan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tristan Stefan said...

both of you fail to see the bigger picture, which is why I mentioned the story of Easter Island, where the islanders were so busy fighting over which faction was right and wrong they failed to notice they were destroying their island because of their inability to compromise or work together

Buddhabreath said...

Tristan you are lookng a the big picture hanging on on the wall, but you need to look out the window of your ivory tower on Easter Island long enough to notice that Obamma and the Democrats have compromised far too much already - and the Republicans have proven it doesn't matter. Even when Obamma proposes Republican ideas like cap and trade they oppose him. I applaud your lofty thoughts, but I don't see anything actionable or applicable to the political situation in the US.

Tristan Stefan said...

lol ivory tower.... moi?

Anonymous said...

The Mp3 link is dead, it is possible to have another one?

Thanks, Mario, Genova

criegod said...

One factor usually neglected is that the (marginally) better faction may not really be better, if the effect on the population is to make them more compliant with the overall program. I think that this is, in fact, the case, and that we'd be better off (in the longer term) with Romney than Obama. People hated Bush. There was opposition to Bush. Bush damaged (in the longer term) U.S. imperial interests more than Obama. Just something to consider.

Jan Vrrr. said...

Heavy

Anonymous said...

Stop with the politics ya morons, It's about the MUSIC, If ya' can't hear it then bug off

sw said...

Hi. Please consider reposting the FLAC version. Thank you!

Lipton said...

Hi. I'd love to lay my hands on the flac version of this magnificent album.

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