Tuesday 14 May 2019

Fred Frith / Henry Kaiser ‎– "With Friends Like These" (Metalanguage ‎– ML 107) 1979


Play this to your friends and you'll soon find out which ones are genuine.The ones who can't at least appreciate the experimental approach on offer should be kicked to the curb anyway, the ones that remain in the room have potential.
I've heard far more room clearing records than this one, but I thought, taking the album title into account, that it was an appropraite angle to take my speil on.
Of course I don't mean you to be as shallow as to choose your friends by musical ordeal, although it may be fun.Its best to do it to strangers in a public place.....'Wyatting' I think it has been called by some broadsheet journalist after witnessing the pub emptying qualities of Robert Wyatt's 'Dondestan' album?!...don't get it myself, as this Wyatt album is rather pleasant and mellow;although I understand that the public would have difficulty in accepting Robert's vocal abilities as listenable. Which is strange, because I frequently put forward the great mans name as my singer of preference!?
I doubt any Pub jukebox would be allowed to play the entirety of any of the tracks on this collaboration.
"That ain't Music", said the ruddy faced moron in the union jack t-shirt.
"Don't call that Guitar playing do ya?" slobbered the guy with the missing two front teeth as he salivated into the dregs of his stella Artois.
"We didn't get our fucking country back to listen to this foreign shit", said the apoplectic gammon with the 'Brexit means Brexit' badge, shaking with barely controllable rage!Which sends him into a Liam Neeson style fit of violent revenge as he storms out of the bar looking for foreigners.
The Pub is now ,thankfully empty, and the remaining three persons can now repopulate the establishment with brain cells.

Tracklist:

AA It Moves ... 2:00
AB The Changing Of Names 5:45
AC It Sings 5:40
AD Believing What We Read 3:00
AE ...But Does It Swing ? 3:30
BF Twisted Memories Give Way To The Angry Present 3:50
BG Black Glass 5:30
BH Third Rail 3:25
BI Three Languages 9:30


7 comments:

subharmonia.blogspot.com said...

Thank you Jonny! You just made yourself a friend!

rev.b said...

Sometimes, the room simply need to be cleared. Nice to have records that this to take care of little problems like that. Masacre's Killing Time has worked for me in the past. Funny thing too, since that's way more a rock band than this.

ted mills said...

Excellent. My friend-test record in my teens was the Residents' "Satisfaction". Either you got it or you were out!

A. S. said...

This blog is almost unbearably good

Jonny Zchivago said...

What do you mean 'Almost'!!!????

goinsidemyhead said...


this is what complete shit sounds like. and hipsters fuckers pay to hear this garbage... but..such a nice blog..

rev.b said...

'least goinsidemyhead know what REAl music's all about, hipster fucker. Betcha paid hard, din'cha?