Audio CD review:
John Fahey - Womblife

John Fahey - Womblife

Band: John Fahey Title: Womblife Rating: Release Date: 1997-08-18 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Sharks 2: Planaria 3: Eels 4: Coelacanths 5: Juana

Who's the artist here? The people who give this bad reviews would prefer that he had done the same thing with every record he made. This record was a step forward for John Fahey. Most of Fahey's acclaim comes from his innovation, accept womb life as innovation and enjoy it. It does not sound like terminal pharmacy, it is not over produced. This record rules. if you're not in john fahey's (or J. O'Rourke's) womb.. Shame I like new music but this ain't new. This is really unlistenable except for "juana" the rest sounds like he's fretting with an eel (or various other fish) or even someone else's hands, underwater in a bathtub listening to harry partch whilst being recorded by an amateur with a very cheap tape recorder. Listen to the classic J. F. 's and avoid this one like the great white shark! I'm glad I didn't start with this one. It used to go like that, now it goes like this So it's just exactly as he intended. Actually, Fahey recorded this one himself right there in the motel where he was living at the time; he got a little help with the tape loops (not from Jim O'Rourke) but that's about all. Which means it's difficult stuff, mainly, because this is the New Fahey - no more Mr Nice Guy, no more Blues or Folk or whatever it was - now you get Industrial Ambient. Hmmm. I do enjoy the idea of Fahey tearing up his whole back catalogue, trashing all his old fans and heading out into. . . Somewhere Else. (Starting with "City of Refuge" and continuing with "The Epiphany of Glenn Jones") But I probably like the idea better than I like this cd. On the other hand, Gamelan found sounds are nothing new. Check out Fahey's 1968 composition "A Raga Called Pat" (on "The Voice of the Turtle"). Womb-like Fahey's early works, this stage of his work is part of a very complex evolution. Ok this one is dense, but I don't think it should be compared with Mr. You have to simply let yourself go, like you did'nt knew a thing, like being, really, in a womb. There Are Much Better Fahey CDs This CD is a mess of droning atonal slide guitar, feedback, and various other industrial noises. There are a few moments of brilliance on this disc, but for the most part they are literally drowned out by Jim O'Rourke's heavy handed production. In fact, it sounds not unlike O'Rourke's own Terminal Pharmacy with hotter mastering and glimpses of real musical brilliance. This was the first John Fahey CD I bought, and I'm very thankful that I was not discouraged enough to refrain from purchasing a few more. His earlier work is brilliant. Fahey's music, like that of any talented musician is ultimately more interesting unadorned. You can see a complete list of all John Fahey discography, or go back to the John Fahey tabs