PAGE 24 THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY FEATURES March 7, 2000

> Coil's Astral Disaster, Meandering Through Space Originally only available in an extreme­ organ sounds enter the you feel like you're in the middle of some ly limited, vinyl-only subscription series (a mix, as do a few elec­ acid trip. It features many of the same sort mere 99 copies were pressed!), Astral tronic blips and beeps. of strange electronic noises that populate Disaster, the latest release from Coil, is This is definitely the the rest of the album, but it's also got sung Album Review now finally avail- kind of track you'd lis­ vocals and, surprisingly enough, a guitar able to the masses ten to with headphones line. Finishing out the album is "MU­ by Mark Robinson on CD. When 1 say on and the lights out - UR,"a track which is sort of a reprise of "masses," of course, I mean those lucky very relaxing. "2nd Sun "The Mothership and the Fatherland," fea­ enough to track down a copy (it's available Syndrome" follows and turing many of the same drum and organ in most independent record stores and returns to the electronic sounds. As the track progresses, however, through many Internet mail order shops) weirdness of the first the soothing ambient sounds give way to and willing to pay import prices for it. track. Although sonical­ all sorts of electronic weirdness - mangled Regardless, I'd much ratl).er pay the 20 or ly it's very different vocal samples, a twisted piano loop, short­ so bucks that importers are charging for it from "Mothership," it's wave radio squeals and all sorts of other than sell off one of my body parts to afford just as hypnotizing, oddities. If you're lying down and chilling a copy of the vinyl version (which sold for providing all kinds of out listening to this album (as perscribed around $500 on eBay), not to mention the strange sounds that above), this is the track that will wake you fact that the CD version has been com­ seem to swim from side up and completely weird you out. pletely remastered, remixed and features a to side within your Although this album is quite cohesive more-than-20-minutes long bonus track. head. This is definitely and definitely a trip to So, what's the album actually sound another track that must listen to, it doesn't like? Well, the album features a couple be listened to with seem to really go any­ long, ambient electronic soundscapes and a headphones. where. Coil did the couple more traditional songs with vocals "The Sea Priestess" chill-out record thing and instrumentation and the like (in all, six and "I Don't Want to be much better in their tracks clocking in at just over 72 minutes). the One" are the only 1998 release Time The CD begins with "The Avatars," which two tracks on this brainwashed.com Machines and the features whirling synth noises coupled album with vocals, but Unwinding: John Balance and Peter strange electronic with high-pitched electronic drones. The they don't seem out of Christopherson apply their sonic wiz­ thing much better whirling and screeching builds as the track place. "The Sea ardry to Astral Disaster. with 1995's Worship progresses and then, once the listener is Priestess" starts out the Glitch. It also completely engulfed, comes to an abrupt sounding like another ambient excursion, isn't the kind of album pales in comparison stop. The much slower-paced "The but eventually John Balance's vocals enter you'd put on while going on an afternoon to last year's spectacular Musick to Play in Mothership and the Fatherland" follows the mix. These vocals are more spoken drive or as background music while you do the Dark Volume 1. I'm not saying this is a and gives the listener a chance to recover than sung and provide yet another texture homework- it's music that you need to bad album or anything (hell, it's been stuck from the previous track's aural assault. to engulf the listener. They're also a sort of surround yourself with to truly appreciate. in my CD changer ever since I got it a cou­ This starts with a slow, brooding drum beat vocal guide to the journeys that your mind That said, there is one track on this ple weeks ago), it just doesn't seem to be and slowly progresses into a very light, takes while listening to this strangely hyp­ album, "I Don't Want to be the One," that up to their unusually high standard of qual­ soothing ambient piece. Eventually, some notic music. Suffice to say, this probably is fairly straightforward and doesn't make ity.

WRITE FOR Supreme Clientele Has Killah Instinct Well, all you Wu-Tang fans out there me in the room eating grouper". Whether FEATURES! can now breathe a collective sigh of relief spitting strong cadence in "Deck's Beat"or Album Review because, for the lamenting his recent run-in with the law by WRITE FOR first time since describing his incarceration experience in FEATURES! by Chris Kerner GZA's solo effort "Saturday Nite", the Ironman knows how Beneath the Surface and before that to lay down rhymes. WRITE FOR Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, there One of the most interesting parts of the is a Wu solo album worthy of unlimited CD is track number 13 where the beat is FEATURES! praise. Ghostface Killah's Supreme supplied by back-spun vinyl loops. The Clientele, recently released on Razor lyrics on this track leave something to be WRITE FOR Sharp Records on the Epic label, incorpo­ desired and the beat gets very repetitive, rates classic samples, plenty of street slang but the originality alone makes it a quality FEATURES! and groundbreaking beats that were origi­ contribution. WRITE FOR nal characteristics of the Wu-Tang Saga. The album concludes with a Wu-Tang As usual, RZA spins all of the produc­ collaboration called "Wu Banga" contain­ FEATURES! tion on the tracks and creates some of his ing GZA, Cappadonna and Inspectah best work in recent memory. RZA's beats Deck. In this finale, GZA relates one of the WRITE FOR and Killah's lyrics combine on this project tightest verses on to show the world that the Wu-Tang Clan is Supreme Clientele that FEATURES! more than capable of holding its own in the sums up the Clan's new millennium. impact assuredly and WRITE FOR Prior to Ghostface's new record, how­ succinctly, "see the FEATURES! ever, the latest concoctions from individual logo?/ a monument in members of the Clan have fallen flat. hip-hop/ carved out in a Inspectah Deck, U-God, Method Man, giant landscape of bro­ WRITE FOR Wu Tang Killah Beez Raekwon and even 01' Dirty Bastard have Solo Wu: Supreme Clien­ ken rocks/ whether FEATURES! contributed lackluster efforts following tele, right, is Ghostface heard in herb spots, malt 1998's classic co-operative album Wu­ Killah's new effort. shops or jukebox/ uncut FOR Tang Forever. Even RZA had been mired live, drop 85 in one in his Bobby Digital alter ego, unable to with the track "Nutmeg," a melodic tune shot.". A fitting conclusion to an album E T s ! pull himself out and create quality beats. that is the perfect beginning to whet your with a ringing significance for the re-emer­ Supreme Clien~ele may be considered lyrical palate. The smooth beats continue gence of the Wu-Tang Clan. the rebirth of RZA as well as the rejuvena­ through track number six, entitled "Apollo Overall, Ghostface Killah has outdone 1 tion of the solo careers of Wu-Tang mem­ Kids", when Raekwon contributes his any of his counterparts in the Clan with the bers. Not only does Ghostface's new proj­ rhymes to this likely choice for the first sin­ release of Supreme Clientele. The beats ect exceed these recent Wu project failures, gle to be released off the album. and rhymes are reminiscient of oustanding Whaddaya but it may be considered among the best On the next track, "Buck 50" featuring Wu Saga albums of the past. The bottom waiting for? solo Clan efforts ever. And the timing Cappadonna, Method Man, Redman and line is that lronman, the cartoon, ahead of Call x1260 could not have been more perfect. Masta Killah, Ghostface displays his lyri­ his enemies has been adopted by his alter Arriving as Tony Starks, aka lronman, a cal wizadry as well by declaring ego Ghostface Killah on this album and now! '60s cartoon superhero, in the intro, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious !/Docio has kept this Wu-Tang member one step Ghostface begins his sophomore album usaliexpifragilistalisuper!/Cancun, catch ahead of his competitors.