Six Organs Of Admittance - RTZ

six organsRTZ is a collection of Ben Chasny's early nocturnal emissions, previously released in very limited quantities. These intimate moments unfold slowly, the initial fumblings tentatively grip a melody before building into an a steady throb. The recording has a grainy, homemade feel to it that accentuates the introverted nature of this music, while the sparse instrumental colours combine to create a haunting illusion of space. The vocals are similarly inward-looking, at times evoking Blind Willie Johnson moaning his own accompaniment, at others a more eastern mantra-like flavour recalls the scent of incense and to cap it all, Chasny even does a hipster mumble to rival Lee Renaldo. To add to the askew, hall of mirrors ambiance, despite the extended passages of instrumental noodling and the subdued, reflective atmosphere throughout, each track seems to end unexpectedly. I would happily listen to Ben Chasny play for three or four times as long as the 15–20 minute tracks presented here, perhaps because each 'song' moves though a number of parts, exploring an area of texture or melody before moving on. The overall effect is like listening to a number of short, but related, pieces: a kind of oral scrapbook. Despite having been made early in the life of Organs of Admittance, this music is fully formed. Ben Chasny's light touch mesmerises the listener, even as the ghost of the late, great Ron Asheton haunts the electric guitar wails halfway though "Punish the Chasms with Wings". -- nick illot.
:: Six Organs Of Admittance/RTZ - Drag City/Rough Trade.