Bill Orcutt - Music for Four Guitars '2022

Tracks list

       Bill Orcutt takes on 20th century minimalism on this surprisingly
Reichian electro-acoustic rumination, bound by his expectedly arresting and
unique axe virtuosity. RIYL Glenn Branca, Fred Frith, Sonic Youth.

Since 2009's jaw-unhinging "A New Way to Pay Old Debts", Orcutt has been
churning out solo and collaborative plates at an alarming rate, retaining a
level of quality that's almost superhuman. Most of his material adheres to a
ruff blues template, but Orcutt rips traditional structures apart to zero in on
raw improvisational blood and spittle. His electronic music is just as chunky,
developed using 'Cracked', a DIY app he wrote to emulate the cheap 'n direct
quality of his favorite guitars. On "Music for Four Guitars", Orcutt tries
something different, using the robotic experimentation of his electronic music
and the rugged power of his solo guitar work to approach an almost Reichian
collection of overlayed, rhythmic, multi-guitar minimalism. 

Conceptually it isn't completely new, and there are clear links to be made with
Glenn Branca's influential 'Lesson No.1', as well as Sonic Youth's excellent
tribute to the avant canon "Goodbye 20th Century", but Orcutt assembles these
flavors into a blues-damaged portrait that frames his output majestically.
There's still the pain and lightly dissonant damage of his usual skronk on 'Two
things close together', but the overdriven riffs are woven together into a
chiming ensemble of notes that create distinct and original percussive forms.
Each track approaches roughly the same formula, overlaying phrases to create
brain-tweaking harmonies and kora-like rhythms that link Orcutt's Delta-rooted
performance with a wider spread of styles and traditions. It's an invigorating
listening experience, another essential piece of the Orcutt puzzle.

1.01 - Bill Orcutt - A different view (1:58)
1.02 - Bill Orcutt - Two things close together (2:31)
1.03 - Bill Orcutt - At a distance (2:51)
1.04 - Bill Orcutt - In profile (1:54)
1.05 - Bill Orcutt - Or from behind (2:00)
1.06 - Bill Orcutt - Seen from above (2:04)
1.07 - Bill Orcutt - On the horizon (2:01)
1.08 - Bill Orcutt - Glimpsed while driving (2:03)
1.09 - Bill Orcutt - Only at dusk (2:50)
1.10 - Bill Orcutt - Barely visible (2:03)
1.11 - Bill Orcutt - Out of the corner of the eye (2:02)
1.12 - Bill Orcutt - In the rain (1:57)
1.13 - Bill Orcutt - From below (1:56)
1.14 - Bill Orcutt - Or head on (1:53) 

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