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.

RULES OF REDUCTION (1993)

WHILST THIS WILL NEVER BE THE MOST FAMOUS, MOST POPULAR, MOST INTERESTING, MOST ENJOYABLE, OR MOST DISCUSSED JIM O'ROURKE RELEASE, THERE IS A REASONABLE ARGUMENT TO SUGGEST IT COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT.

METAMKINE HAD BECOME FRANCE'S LEADING RELEASER OF MUSIQUE CONCRETE AND IN ITS FIRST DECADE PUT OUT RELEASES BY WALTER RUTTMANN (LONG DEAD, BUT A DIRECTOR OF TREMENDOUS IMPORT), RALF WEHOWSKY (WHO ONCE STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH MUSIC WAS HUMAN MEMORY: THAT WE CANNOT REMEMBER REPETITIONS BEYOND A CERTAIN LENGTH), ELIANE RADIGUE, MICHEL CHION (A FILM SOUND THEORIST OF SOME REPUTE), LUC FERRARI (JIM'S IDOL; REMEMBER HIS BAND BRISE-GLACE? THAT WAS A FERRARI PIECE) - AND NOW, LITTLE JAMES HENRY O'ROURKE FROM THE NICE SUBURBS BETWEEN O'HARE INTERNATIONAL AND WRIGLEY FIELD.

THIS MEANS THAT FROM 4/5 YEARS AGO OF DOING GROT-ROCK AND PREPARED GUITAR IN HIS BEDROOM O'ROURKE HAS NOW JOINED THE CREAM OF THE EUROPEAN AVANT-GARDE. THIS MAY ONLY BE ONE OF THOSE CURSEDLY STUPID 3" CDS (GREAT IF YOUR TRAY HAS A SPINDLE, FUCKED IF YOU DON'T) BUT WHAT IT REPRESENTS IS HUGE. I AM SURPRISED HE DIDN'T JUST MOVE TO PARIS OR MUNICH AND REAP THE REWARDS OF "MUSIC-THOUGHT".

ANYWAY RULES OF REDUCTION IS A SOLID PIECE OF MUSIQUE CONCRETE SLASH TAPE MUSIC. I CAN TELL WHAT A LOT OF THE SOUNDS ARE AND THEY DON'T SEEM PARTICULARLY 'TRANSFORMED' (ART IS, AS THE FORMALISTS SUGGESTED, TRANSFORMATION OF MATERIAL) BUT IT DOES PAINT AN INTERESTING SOUNDWORLD TO LIVE IN FOR 17 MINUTES. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT STACKS UP TO FERRARI AND WEHOWSKY, AND I DOUBT I HAVE THE EARS OR THE LEARNING TO CREDIBLY EXPLAIN SHOULD I CHOOSE TO EXPLORE. STILL, IT'S DECENT STUFF.