Mattin & Matthew Bower - A New Form Of Beauty(1975) [Bottrop-Boy - 2007]The 1975 part of this title rather threw me, and had me wondering if this dates from then but it seems this was recorded this year or last year. Anyway on with music or sound, what we have here is one long and punishing mix of electronics and gitar weaved into a rock jam/noise storm. Though there is a noise element present here with the wailing feedback pitch and electronic fuzz, most of the 48 minute track is built up from drumless rock guitar jam that sort of wonders over the same few cords again and again, almost having the air of a gone wrong blues sideman keep up a beat or groove. I have to say I prefer for the most part guitar in noise to not be identifiable or playing some sort of normal sound or progression, and that I think is the problem with this- it’s always holding on to that structure and that musically element. The noise element is ok, but hardly ground shaking- it just really amounts to varying static storms of electronics, that sadly don’t go anywere too interesting or exciting. Towards the end it seems to start using some interesting accelerating tones and feed back pricks of sound, but nothing really captivating. This is really an extended rock jam with noise bits stuck on with very little craft or art in there manipulation. Passable on a slow day for 20 minutes entertainment or so, but otherwise a little dull. Roger Batty
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