Izvođač: Non Credo
Izdavač: Samostalno izdanje
Izdanje: 1995
Ocjena: 4.6/5
Non Credo je duo kojeg čine dva multiinstrumentalista, lijepa Kira Vollman i Joseph Berardi. Na sceni su se prvi put pojavili 1988., kada su izdali Reluctant Hosts. Skupina je dakle već dugo na sceni, a ovaj album je njihov drugi.
Za Happy Wretched Family trebalo im je čak sedam godina (što i nije čudno s obzirom na to da nisu profesionalci), ali isplatilo se čekati. Vollman i Berardi nisu samo snimili album koji je dostojan nasljednik prvijenca, nego su stvorili nešto što ga u mnogim aspektima čak i nadmašuje.
Glazbu ovog dvojca stvarno je teško definirati. Sposobni su baš za sve. Ponekad ih čujemo kako sviraju sofisticirani komorni rock, u stilu velikana žanra, Univers Zero, a ponekad se čuju i tvrđi motivi, poput metalskih dijelova u Piano Urine. Kao i kod mnogih avangardnih bendova, puno glazbe počiva na disonanci, ali ovaj dvojac očito ima sluha i za melodičnost te te lakše slušljive dijelove kombinira s eksperimentalnima i sve skupa ispada izuzetno dobro. Nikad nemaš osjećaj da je nešto forsirano ili da nešto ne pašu. Još jedan važan element je glas Kire Vollman, zbog kojeg bi Non Credo mogao ući u kategoriju zeuhla, ako bismo baš htjeli komplicirati. Vollman koristi mnogo različitih vokalnih tehnika, slično kao Vander u Magmi, pa iz njenih usta izlazi puno raznolikih i ambicioznih zvukova, koji ponekad djeluju izvanredno, a ponekad malo manje, ali uvijek zanimljivo. Pjeva operno, što je opet slično zeuhlu. No kako god gledali, glazba govori sama za sebe. A glazba je i dalje svježa, originalna i zvuči jednako sjajno kao prije petnaest godina. Ako si pristaša zahtjevne glazbe i ne smeta te malo vokalnog ludila, onda bih ti ovaj album svakako preporučio.
Dvojcu na nekoliko skladbi pomaže Bernard Sauser-Hall, koji svira klavijature. Njegov doprinos posebno je primjetan na briljantnoj Piano Urine, koja je pravi prikaz svih elemenata avangarde. No duo zapravo ni ne treba tu pomoć, sami su više nego sposobni stvoriti suludo dobar album. Berardi je ponajprije izvanredan udaraljkaš, ali odgovoran je i za klavijature, gitaru i bas. Sličan zadatak ima Kira Vollman, koja svira klavijature, bas, gitaru i klarinet, a također i pjeva. Njen glas je izvanredan. Svoje operne sposobnosti koristi sebi u prilog i glazbi daje mali zeuhl prizvuk. Doista je riječ o talentiranom dvojcu, a nažalost nisu tako priznati kao što bi mogli biti.
Non Credo sviraju riskantnu glazbu, ali se rizici uglavnom isplate. To razlikuje dobre eksperimentatore od loših – da znaju stati, pogotovo kad pronađu zvuk ili melodiju koja je dobra. Album nije za pristaše “sigurne”, “na sigurno” glazbe, koja je napisana u uvriježenim glazbenim normama. To nije glazba koja bi sadržavala onu klasičnu ljepotu za kojom mnogi streme. Kao i većina najboljih eksperimentalnih bendova, i dvojac Non Credo oblikuje samosvojne estetske vrijednosti i ako im date priliku, otvorit će vam novi glazbeni svijet!
________________________________________________
Non Credo is a duet consisting of two multi-instrumentalist, the beautiful Kira Vollman and Joseph Berardi. They first burst on the scene with the 1988 release Reluctant Hosts. So, the band has been around for some time and this album is their second release.
It took them seven years to release this effort after the great Reluctant Hosts, but it was definitely worth the wait. Vollman and Berardi not only managed to do an album that was a worthy successor to the debut, but actually created something that in many ways surpasses it.
It is extremely difficult to define exactly what kind of music this pair plays. Anything goes, basically. Sometimes we hear them doing some sophisticated chamber rock in the style of the masters of the genre, Univers Zero, sometimes we hear them doing heavier stuff, like the metal parts in “Piano Urine”. A lot of their music is indeed, like most avant-garde, based on dissonance, but it is obvious that they have an ear for a good melody as well. So they combine these sometimes very catchy tunes with experiments. And it all works amazingly well. You never get a feeling like anything is forced or out of place. An important element is the voice of Kira Vollman, which could put Non Credo in the category of zeuhl music, especially if I were being nitpicky. Vollman uses a lot of different vocal techniques, just like Vander in Magma, so that so many different and ambitious sounds emanate from her. It is truly amazing. She also sings in a very operatic way, which is another zeuhl characteristic. But anyway you look at it, the music speaks for itself. And the music is still as fresh, original and sounds as wonderful now as it did 15 years ago. If you are a fan of challenging music and do not mind a bit of vocal havoc, then I urge you to buy this record.
The duo are helped on a couple of tracks by Bernard Sauser-Hall on keyboards. His contribution is most noticeable on the brilliant “Piano Urine”, a true portrayal of all the aspects of the avant-garde. Not that the duo needs any help really. They manage just fine on their own. Berardi is mostly an excellent drummer, but he put down some keyboards and guitar parts as well. Kira Vollman is a superb vocalist, using the operatic qualities of her voice to her advantage and giving the music a zeuhl edge. She also plays keyboards, guitars, basses and the clarinet. They truly are a talented pair, but unfortunately they do not get the recognition they deserve.
This music takes a lot of risks and most of them pay off. That’s what distinguishes the good experimenters from the bad. Non Credo know when to draw the line, especially when they find a sound or melody they like. This is not for fans of safe, middle of the road music, or music written in the established musical forms that are deemed “pretty”. Non Credo, like most of the best experimental bands, create their own aesthetic values and if you give them a chance, they will blow your mind!
Postava
Joseph Berardi – udaraljke, klavijature, gitara, bas
Kira Vollman – vokal, bas, gitara, klarinet, klavijature
Gost: Bernard Sauser-Hall – klavijature
Produkcija
Non Credo
Popis skladbi
1. Sporco Mutande
2. Curious Couplings
3. Slips Through Fingers
4. Piano Urine
5. Ambrosia And Arsenic Tango
6. We Can Build You
7. Entzauberung
8. Snake Oil
9. Hacked
10. Big Teeth
11. Pay & Learn
12. Tokyorama
13. Miliza Three Flights Down
14. Arms Trodden Off By The Cows
15. Joyeria
16. Looking For Eddie
17. Happy Wretched Family
