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REVIEW
> KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.
MUSIC REVIEW // MASERATI - PYRAMID OF THE SUN > KJHK's weekly guide to (TEMPORARY RESIDENCE LIMITED) | 2010
Maserati, like the Italian luxury car of the same name, is sleek, fast and exotic. Pyramid of the Sun is the band's fifth full-length album since its 2001 debut, 37:29:24. This new album brings a nearly danceable style of progressive space-rock.
The opener, "Who Can Find The Beast?" begins with a heavily processed and sinister synthesizer beat that descends into feedback and distorted voice echoes. The track builds triumphantly before abruptly tapering off into the title track, a brisk change of pace from the short intro. "Pyramid Of The Sun" is an immediate attention-grabber — it's both heavy and catchy as jagged guitars and grainy bass intertwine on top of keyboards. The occasional double-kick drum action is tasteful and not too over-the-top. "We Got The System To Fight The System," is an example of Maserati's use of highly technical syncopation and counter-rhythms — like Battles' style but more metallic. The bass often repeats a solid groove while precisely picked guitars wail furiously. It's similar to the intense, prog-dance brand of rock that !!! and LCD Soundsystem
do so well, but Pyramid Of The Sun is an almost wholly instrumental album with a darker vision.
ALEX TRETBAR
"Ruins" trudges along with loud, damaged drums and oscillating guitar feedback for nearly three minutes. It's experimental, somewhat abrasive and without much of a hook or melody to follow. The next track, "They'll No More Suffer From Hunger," finds the band suddenly resurfacing out of the murk with a heavy bass/drum/synth medley à la Nine Inch Nails. The song eventually shrinks to a simple hi-hat beat that bleeds into "Oaxaca," which is softer, sweeter and the album's longest track at eight minutes.
Maserati's style is unique and varied, but I found myself wishing some of the synth parts had been left out — the guitars, bass and drums are enough and the keys sometimes make it hard to focus on any one instrument. However, I recommend the record to anyone into dance, space or math rock (ideally all three).
MOVIE REVIEW // A MAN WITHIN
> Hollywood hits, indie flicks and everything in between.
How does one even begin to describe the living conundrum that was William S. Burroughs? Writer, artist, cat lover, homosexual, junkie, gun enthusiast, godfather of punk rock — yet he never really fit into those molds either. William S. Burroughs: A Man Within attempts to answer these questions, and although it offers insight into who Burroughs was, it focuses too much on the legend and less on the man himself.
Which isn't to say we learn nothing about Burroughs — interviews with some of Burroughs' friends discuss his aloof approach to counter-culture, his homosexuality, his
A Man Within covers virtually every facet of Burroughs' long and fascinating life and the influence he had over everything: poetry, prose, art, music, film, culture, society and life. Yet by documenting Burroughs' effect on these things, the film barely scratches the surface of Burroughs himself, who is far more interesting a topic than anything he influenced.
peers and his love of cats and guns, all of which provide an enthralling insight into such a bizarre, literary mind.
The film boasts an eclectic number of interviewees — some are good while others do little but bolster the running time. Of the best is John Waters, who talks about Burroughs and his work, and amongst the worst is Patti Smith, who tells stories about herself, leaving Burroughs in the background.
Films like William S. Burroughs: A Man Within often cater to the legend that follows their subject, rather than the other way around. The film tends to lose itself from time to time, keeping up with Burroughs' long, eventful life and reputation, but is ambitious and passionate enough to keep audiences interested.
★★★ | B.S HADLAND |
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