Most the reviews are extremely positive. I suspect most reviewers, at least one's with a little something going on upstairs, will praise the album and then you'll have the 1/10 who just doesn't get it like the person above. He must have never listened to any avant garde music in his life, what would he say of Diamanda Galas or Lydia Lunch or even Captain Beefheart? They have lots of "ugly" music, and if anything I am attracted to the uglier more dissonant sounds. This is PJ Harvey, she's no stranger to some dissonant heavy music ( it makes you wonder if this person has evert listened to Rid of Me, Is This Desire, or Uh Huh Her?) If it truly is her most ugly album by far, Im more excited than ever. Im literally dreaming about the tracks at this point.
It just occurred to me that Polly and John played Beefheart's Dachau Blues over the PA before their gig on 2010-12-18 at Eype church. This was the send-off gig for the AWAMWB tour. Don had passed the day before, on Dec 17.
Dachau Blues (1969):
Dachau blues those poor Jews Dachau blues those poor Jews Dachau blues, Dachau blues those poor Jews Still cryin' 'bout the burnin' back in World War Two's One mad man six million lose Down in Dachau blues, down in Dachau blues The world can't forget that misery 'n the young ones now beggin' the old ones please t' stop bein' madmen 'fore they have t' tell their children 'bout the burnin's back in World War Three's War One was balls 'n powder 'n blood 'n snow War Two rained death 'n showers 'n skeletons Dancin' 'n screamin' 'n dyin' in the ovens Cough 'n smoke 'n dyin' by the dozens Down in Dachau blues Down in Dachau blues Sweet little children with doves on their shoulders Their eyes rolled back in ecstasy cryin' Please old man stop this misery They're countin' out the devil With two fingers on their hands Beggin' the Lord don't let the third one land On World War Three On World War Three
Its no secret Beefheart is perhaps PJ's biggest influence. We will probably see some of that seep into this album, which I count as a good thing. I remember an interview around 2011 where she mentioned she had been listening to Dachau Blues and it was interesting her as a political song done right.
I feel very fortunate in my life, for many reasons. One of these reasons is coming across such a man as Don Van Vliet, through his music, his art and as a friend.
So rarely have I come into contact with extraordinarily special human-beings; human beings that operate on a different level to most. That have a certain 'other-ness' about them, and a wisdom that I can only aspire to, breathless. People that I would drop everything for, and sit at their feet, to hang on every word.
Don is such a human-being. In everything he does. In his words, his creations and in himself.
Thank you Don. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.
Polly Jean Harvey
[forward from "Don Van Vliet, Paintings and Poems", Michael Werner Koln New York, Anton Kern Gallery New York" (c) 2007]
Of course, the truth is somewhat more complicated. Don was by many accounts arrogant, cruel and manipulative. See John French's 2010 book "Beefheart, through the eyes of Magic". John would know, he was the drummer ("Drumbo", a name Don assigned to him) for many iterations of the Magic Band.
I can believe it, people of that level of creativity and vision are often very controlling and manipulative. Its a side effect of one of the traits that make him so great. He has a clear vision in his head and will stop at nothing to see the vision carried out. When somebody gets in your path, you're so absorbed in your work that you just have no time for it. A problem with people writing about genius's like Don is that it's so hard to understand what its like, that they can't really grasp their motives. It very well may be that Don didn't see any of his actions as cruel, but nessescary.
"Van Vliet implemented his vision by asserting complete artistic and emotional domination of his musicians. At various times one or another of the group members was put "in the barrel", with Van Vliet berating him continually, sometimes for days, until the musician collapsed in tears or in total submission to Van Vliet"
Without those traits, we wouldn't have all the groundbreaking music he has made. PJ is known to be controlling, perhaps less so than Beefheart lol but it goes with the territory often.
Thanks a lot for the link!! Digging this one very much, quite elegant production, so far it is the most 'innovative' one. Considering it was quite simple and silent live, I wonder if Dollar Dollar and River Anacostia will also end up as colourful as this one.
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