scorch trioThe first track is the weak point on this album, over ten minutes guitarist Raoul Björkenheim adopts a variety of ugly guitar hero poses ranging from Hendrix through John Mclaughlin and Sonny Sharrock to Frank Zappa. Björkenheim's technical ability is jaw dropping, but the ideas he spits out are never really developed. Instead the guitar moves restlessly from phrase to phrase, neither managing to stun the listener with sheer aggression or seduce them with his originality. 'Basjen', the second track is much stronger, with eerie bowed-guitar noise and sensitive drumming evoking an atmosphere reminiscent in places of a less tensely wound version of Naked City's album "Absinthe". The remainder of the disc continues to flit between hectic jazz rock tracks and more considered exercises in drone and silence. The latter excite me far more: crackling arcs of electricity rub against each other and it is clear that the group is listening deeply to each other. When things build up to a crescendo from this point, as on the track 'Gaba', the results are far more satisfying; even the '1983...' style bird calls work in this context. Scorch Trio are clearly incredible musicians and I imagine that the more up-tempo tracks work well live, but their more thoughtful side makes for much better recordings.
:: Scorch Trio/Brolt - Rune Grammofon.
