Boris's Bad Reviews #3 - "Slogun" - "Fair Game"

[Boris T. Wayne]

It seems like my reviews are getting a lot of attention, with more than
one person contributing to the discussion! Someone was even interested
enough to ask if there were any guitars in it! We could conjure a proper
little community in here!

Today's review is of "Fair Game", by an outfit called "Slogun". It says
here that it's just one guy, John Balisteri, who was brought up in the
lush green farmland of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

Although I decry formality, at this point I'd usually give you a concise
yet penetrating review of the album, but my MP3 player sounds like it's
malfunctioning. Maybe I accidentally downloaded the first track in ASCII
mode, or something? Oh, no, it's the same with track 2. Bugger, has the
hardware broken? Same on track 3... 4... 5... 6... hold on, I think that
I can hear someone shouting outside... omg...

IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE THAT?

Well, my sweet Aunt Fanny. She certainly wouldn't like *this*.

% cat /bin/file > /dev/speaker

I want to like it, but I don't. I'd go so far as to say "it's shit". Or
perhaps even worse, "it's art". Don't buy it. Don't even download it for
free.

<wanders off to the bog muttering about the youth of today>

[mimus]

Post by Boris T. Wayne
It seems like my reviews are getting a lot of attention, with more than
one person contributing to the discussion! Someone was even interested
enough to ask if there were any guitars in it! We could conjure a proper
little community in here!
Today's review is of "Fair Game", by an outfit called "Slogun". It says
here that it's just one guy, John Balisteri, who was brought up in the
lush green farmland of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
Although I decry formality, at this point I'd usually give you a concise
yet penetrating review of the album, but my MP3 player sounds like it's
malfunctioning. Maybe I accidentally downloaded the first track in ASCII
mode, or something? Oh, no, it's the same with track 2. Bugger, has the
hardware broken? Same on track 3... 4... 5... 6... hold on, I think that
I can hear someone shouting outside... omg...
IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE THAT?
Well, my sweet Aunt Fanny. She certainly wouldn't like *this*.
% cat /bin/file > /dev/speaker
I want to like it, but I don't. I'd go so far as to say "it's shit". Or
perhaps even worse, "it's art". Don't buy it. Don't even download it for
free.
<wanders off to the bog muttering about the youth of today>

So what was the prob?

I mean, a little noise is hardly likely to skeer anyone lurking here.

Hell, I've had a Merzbow album, _Venereology_ (not bad, once you got over
the initial shock, although a friend I played the shortest and closest to
rhythmic piece off of it-- "I Lead You toward Glorious Times"-- for curled
up into a fetal ball).

[Boris T. Wayne]

Post by mimus

Post by Boris T. Wayne
It seems like my reviews are getting a lot of attention, with more than
one person contributing to the discussion! Someone was even interested
enough to ask if there were any guitars in it! We could conjure a proper
little community in here!
Today's review is of "Fair Game", by an outfit called "Slogun". It says
here that it's just one guy, John Balisteri, who was brought up in the
lush green farmland of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
Although I decry formality, at this point I'd usually give you a concise
yet penetrating review of the album, but my MP3 player sounds like it's
malfunctioning. Maybe I accidentally downloaded the first track in ASCII
mode, or something? Oh, no, it's the same with track 2. Bugger, has the
hardware broken? Same on track 3... 4... 5... 6... hold on, I think that
I can hear someone shouting outside... omg...
IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE THAT?
Well, my sweet Aunt Fanny. She certainly wouldn't like *this*.
% cat /bin/file > /dev/speaker
I want to like it, but I don't. I'd go so far as to say "it's shit". Or
perhaps even worse, "it's art". Don't buy it. Don't even download it for
free.
<wanders off to the bog muttering about the youth of today>

So what was the prob?

I didn't like it and I paid $2.18 for it!

Post by mimus
I mean, a little noise is hardly likely to skeer anyone lurking here.

But it's *all* noise. I couldn't hear any serial killers confessing, or
anything, really. I like Venetian Snares better than this.

Post by mimus
Hell, I've had a Merzbow album, _Venereology_ (not bad, once you got over
the initial shock, although a friend I played the shortest and closest to
rhythmic piece off of it-- "I Lead You toward Glorious Times"-- for curled
up into a fetal ball).

<adds to list>

Ta.

[mimus]

Post by Boris T. Wayne

Post by mimus

Post by Boris T. Wayne
It seems like my reviews are getting a lot of attention, with more than
one person contributing to the discussion! Someone was even interested
enough to ask if there were any guitars in it! We could conjure a proper
little community in here!
Today's review is of "Fair Game", by an outfit called "Slogun". It says
here that it's just one guy, John Balisteri, who was brought up in the
lush green farmland of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
Although I decry formality, at this point I'd usually give you a concise
yet penetrating review of the album, but my MP3 player sounds like it's
malfunctioning. Maybe I accidentally downloaded the first track in ASCII
mode, or something? Oh, no, it's the same with track 2. Bugger, has the
hardware broken? Same on track 3... 4... 5... 6... hold on, I think that
I can hear someone shouting outside... omg...
IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE THAT?
Well, my sweet Aunt Fanny. She certainly wouldn't like *this*.
% cat /bin/file > /dev/speaker
I want to like it, but I don't. I'd go so far as to say "it's shit". Or
perhaps even worse, "it's art". Don't buy it. Don't even download it for
free.
<wanders off to the bog muttering about the youth of today>

So what was the prob?

I didn't like it and I paid $2.18 for it!

Post by mimus
I mean, a little noise is hardly likely to skeer anyone lurking here.

But it's *all* noise. I couldn't hear any serial killers confessing, or
anything, really. I like Venetian Snares better than this.

Post by mimus
Hell, I've had a Merzbow album, _Venereology_ (not bad, once you got over
the initial shock, although a friend I played the shortest and closest to
rhythmic piece off of it-- "I Lead You toward Glorious Times"-- for curled
up into a fetal ball).

<adds to list>
Ta.

Warning: Not a whole lot of formal structure involved (that I could make
out, anyway).

[Boris T. Wayne]

Post by mimus

Post by Boris T. Wayne

Post by mimus

Post by Boris T. Wayne
It seems like my reviews are getting a lot of attention, with more than
one person contributing to the discussion! Someone was even interested
enough to ask if there were any guitars in it! We could conjure a proper
little community in here!
Today's review is of "Fair Game", by an outfit called "Slogun". It says
here that it's just one guy, John Balisteri, who was brought up in the
lush green farmland of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
Although I decry formality, at this point I'd usually give you a concise
yet penetrating review of the album, but my MP3 player sounds like it's
malfunctioning. Maybe I accidentally downloaded the first track in ASCII
mode, or something? Oh, no, it's the same with track 2. Bugger, has the
hardware broken? Same on track 3... 4... 5... 6... hold on, I think that
I can hear someone shouting outside... omg...
IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE THAT?
Well, my sweet Aunt Fanny. She certainly wouldn't like *this*.
% cat /bin/file > /dev/speaker
I want to like it, but I don't. I'd go so far as to say "it's shit". Or
perhaps even worse, "it's art". Don't buy it. Don't even download it for
free.
<wanders off to the bog muttering about the youth of today>

So what was the prob?

I didn't like it and I paid $2.18 for it!

Post by mimus
I mean, a little noise is hardly likely to skeer anyone lurking here.

But it's *all* noise. I couldn't hear any serial killers confessing, or
anything, really. I like Venetian Snares better than this.

Post by mimus
Hell, I've had a Merzbow album, _Venereology_ (not bad, once you got over
the initial shock, although a friend I played the shortest and closest to
rhythmic piece off of it-- "I Lead You toward Glorious Times"-- for curled
up into a fetal ball).

<adds to list>
Ta.

Warning: Not a whole lot of formal structure involved (that I could make
out, anyway).

I like new.

[Korin]

Post by mimus
Hell, I've had a Merzbow album, _Venereology_ (not bad, once you got over
the initial shock, although a friend I played the shortest and closest to
rhythmic piece off of it-- "I Lead You toward Glorious Times"-- for curled
up into a fetal ball).

I've yet to find any full-length versions of his tracks that are offered up
for free downloads (I feel bad about downloading songs by artists that I
might eventually give a damn about, you see), only samples, and the vinyl
releases seem difficult to come by.. nevertheless, I'll take a look for
something. Recommendations?

Korin

[mimus]

Post by Korin

Post by mimus
Hell, I've had a Merzbow album, _Venereology_ (not bad, once you got
over the initial shock, although a friend I played the shortest and
closest to rhythmic piece off of it-- "I Lead You toward Glorious
Times"-- for curled up into a fetal ball).

I've yet to find any full-length versions of his tracks that are offered
up for free downloads (I feel bad about downloading songs by artists
that I might eventually give a damn about, you see), only samples, and
the vinyl releases seem difficult to come by.. nevertheless, I'll take a
look for something. Recommendations?

I only had the one. Not for all tastes. Like people who like traditional
musical structures, beats, vocals, lyrics and so on.

He's apparently released >300 collections-o'-noise.

Some of his more recent stuff may be more rhythmic, anyway.

Also, he seems to be a bit obsessed by, er, sexual pathology, both mental
and physical (the _Venereology_ CD had some pretty unlookable-at photos on
the inside . . . ) . . . .

See his Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merzbow

[Boris T. Wayne]

Post by mimus
Hell, I've had a Merzbow album, _Venereology_ (not bad, once you got over
the initial shock, although a friend I played the shortest and closest to
rhythmic piece off of it-- "I Lead You toward Glorious Times"-- for curled
up into a fetal ball).

Phew. Yeah, that I can understand. It certainly made me turn down the volume.
Somehow I can't see it going down too well in clubland, and I can't imagine
anyone adding it to their favourites list, except (as you did) as aural
ammunition. Even so, the noises are interesting, and it has rhythm of a
sort. If I had to choose between Venereology and Fair Game, I'd opt for
the former.

Mr. Merzbow certainly has been prolific. I listened to something from 1991
and thought, "hey, I had Algorithmic Composer on the Atari ST, too".

But I think I must listen to some guitars to recondition my ears.