TERMINAL PHARMACY (1995)

As any fan knows, there are many sides to the often shadowy Jim O'Rourke, and one of those involves a true love for the abstract. But while this has led to more than a few fascinating pieces over the years, there are those that are definitely not for O'Rourke newbies — high among them 1995 head-scratcher Terminal Pharmacy.
    - Exclaim Guide to Jim O'Rourke

The two suites of Terminal Pharmacy (Tzadik, 1995) are among his most radical compositions: Cede, for trombone, clarinet, bass and samples, is a daring half-hour collage of barely audible chords, orchestras, accordion and noises "found" (Cage, Stockhausen, Coltrane, Mnemonists, Negativland)...
    - Piero Scaruffi Guide to Jim O'Rourke

    
GOING INTO THIS I WAS AFRAID. JIM'S HAD A FEW MOMENTS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO LISTEN TO AND SOME THINGS I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY WERE OVER, BUT TERMINAL PHARMACY SEEMS TO HAVE RILED THE MOST PEOPLE UP OVER THE YEARS.

WHILST THERE IS ONE TRACK OF A VERY DAUNTING LENGTH AND A SHORTER MODERN CLASSICAL PIECE BROKEN UP BY A MINUTE OF SILENCE (ON A CD, PERHAPS TRYING A BIT TOO HARD) I CAN SEE NO REASON TO DISLIKE THESE ANY MORE THAN A RECORD YOU DISLIKE NORMALLY - AND I DON'T DISLIKE IT!

THE OPENER 'CEDE' PROBABLY NEEDS MORE THAN A PARAGRAPH TO REALLY BREAK INTO IT, BUT IT IS A LONG PIECE OF DRONING MUSIQUE CONCRETE PUNCTUATED BY SILENCE. AFTER A FEW MOVEMENTS THAT SET A MATURE AND AUSTERE SOUND, THERE IS A BRIEF INTERLOCUTION OF A CAR STARTING UP. PEOPLE LAUGH AND WRITE MEAN THINGS, BUT OFTEN FAIL TO NOTICE THE STIRRING BEAUTY THAT EMERGES LATER IN THE PIECE AND SUSTAINS FOR MOST OF THE REMAINDER.

OF ALL HIS MUSIQUE CONCRETE-TYPE PIECES THUS FAR I LIKE 'CEDE' THE MOST. MUSIQUE CONCRETE WILL NEVER BE MY GO-TO FOR A FUN TIME, BUT I FEEL LIKE O'ROURKE HAS BROUGHT ME A LITTLE CLOSER TO IT.

THE CLOSER AND TITLE TRACK SEEMS TO GET SHORT SHRIFT TOO BUT IT'S A NICE SMALL ENSEMBLE PIECE THAT REMINDS ME OF CHARLES IVES; SLOW LONG BOWED SOUNDS WITH THE OCCASIONAL PRICKLE FROM HARSHLY-ATTACHED REED INSTRUMENT. 

I CAN'T CALL THIS CERTIFIED: GOOD IN THE BEST OF FAITH. THIS IS NOWHERE NEAR JIM'S NADIR, OR EVEN A DIFFICULT RECORD ON THE WHOLE. IT IS COMPLEX AND REQUIRES ATTENTION TO GET THE BEST OUT OF IT. TRY IT.

YONA-KIT LP (1995)

YONA-KIT TRANSPORTS JIM AND TWO OF HIS TRUSTED COLLABORATORS OF THE TIME (THYMME JONES OF CHEER-ACCIDENT AND DARIN GRAY OF LOTS OF BANDS) INTO A BAND SITUATION WITH FELLOW CULT ARTIST AND EX-ZENI GEVA FRONTMAN KAZUYUKI KISHINO WHO YOU MIGHT KNOW AS KK NULL. THEY ALSO HAD A COOL LOGO.

JIM WOULD HAVE RECORDED THE FIRST US MAPLE RECORD AROUND THIS TIME AND I GUESS AS A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON THEY'RE NOT A MILLION MILES APART. IT'S UNUSUAL BY THE STANDARDS OF BIG ROCK OF 1994/5 BUT NOT ESPECIALLY WEIRD BY VAGUELY MATHY/UNDERGROUND STUFF. IN FACT THEY SOUND MORE LIKE THE PROTO-US MAPLE BAND SHORTY, ONLY WITH MAYBE A LITTLE LESS CHARISMA AND MORE ATMOSPHERE.

THEY DIDN'T ALL LIVE NEAR EACH OTHER AND WROTE BY MAIL AND IT KIND OF SHOWS. MOST TUNES ARE JUST VAMPS AROUND ONE SPINDLY AND SINEWY RIFF. GETS A BIT DISCORDANT AND ESTRANGED THEN SOMETIMES VEERS INTO PLEASANTNESS BUT KEEPS ROCKIN' THROUGHOUT. THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE FUN LIVE. ONE OF MELT BANANA SHOUTS INSCRUTABLY. ALBINI BEHIND THE DESK.  IF THAT'S YOUR AESTHETIC THEN HERE'S ONE FOR YOU.