smilingWhat makes you laugh? Really chuckle. A belly wobbling, tear producing, raucus of a laugh. Music often initiates strong emotions. Tears and melancholy often arise during many a concert and uplifting beats can bring pride and joy. But does music ever give you a really good chorkle? This record sets out to explore the answer to that question. The 32 tracks are each a testament of the differing homours which lie within us. Don't expect to laugh with each of them, as you don't laugh at every joke. However, there are rhythmical, vocal, tonal, instrumental or random anamolies which will reach someone's giggle button. Some tracks are giggle worthy, some are slap-stick, some tasteless, and some down-right hilarious. I expect track four (Leif Elggren & Thomas Liljenberg), in particular, will push most people towards a snigger - I dare you to try not to smirk just a little. Experiment, research, art, joke - however you want to put it, this record is a worthwhile look at something we don't often hear: humour within music. Humour within music is "a tradition that goes back centuries" and often includes the "strange and unexpected" to create something funny from what has been produced before. There is a belief that "the release of laughter stems from the need to release physical tension" and that much of what makes this happen comes from a "superiority theory". These quotes are taken from the essay written by Vicki Bennett which appears on the CD cover. The notion of "may sparks fly when you press play" is a good insight. It's a good listen and a good conversation starter with some unusual twists on some well known, and loved, tracks from people like Christian Marclay, Nurse With Wound, Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock, Nihilist Spasm Band, People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz.
:: Smiling Through My Teeth/Sonic Arts Network (sonicartsnetwork.org).
