Akathisia

Hovercraft | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 11, 1997)
• Original Release Date: February 5, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mute U.S.
• ASIN: B000003Z4M
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,171 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Quiet Room (44)

2. Angular Momentum

3. Haloparidol

4. Vagus Nerve

5. De-Orbit Burn

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crazed experimental rock from outer space, July 14, 2008

By 

Steward Willons (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Akathisia (Audio CD)

Hovercraft is a very unique band. It uses the familiar guitar/bass/drums instrumentation, but somehow makes it sound different than any other guitar/bass/drums trio out there. A good portion of this is due to Campbell 2000's guitar work, which can only be described as bizarre. While there are a lot of crazy effects, delays, and loops going on, at least half of the strangeness is in the way he plays the actual instrument. Some parts are almost like Derek Bailey, while others are directly from outer space. Sadie 7 and Karl 3-30 play the role of straightmen (technically, Sadie 7 is a woman) on bass and drums respectively. They keep the rhythm and texture going while Campbell 2000 colors with broad strokes.

I'm not sure exactly how much improvisation is involved here - I suspect quite a lot. There seem to be various sections in a deliberate order, but within these lengthy sections, the interplay seems spontaneous. Most of the tracks are fairly lengthy, which gives the musicians ample time to really stretch out and explore. Some parts feel more composed than others (such as the beginning and end of "De-Orbit Burn"), but that's the beauty - it's a freely developing structured improvisation that has form and just makes a lot of sense to listen to. You're never quite sure how this music is being made, but the musicians are in total control. Even if these are essentially long 'jams', they're in no way self-indulgent or difficult to listen to.

Hovercraft won't appeal to everyone. The intensity never lets up and they're plenty noisy. I'm tempted to draw some sort of comparison with Sonic Youth or the Boredoms, but it's only comparable insofar as they all, at times, do a variation on noise rock. It's not really a strong comparison, but what do you do when describing a band that doesn't sound like anyone else?

If you're an adventurous listener, you might enjoy this. I think it's a unique and special album. Fans of experimental rock should check this out.

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent, August 6, 2010

By 

Bill Your 'Free Form FM Handi Cyber Print DJ ... (Mahwah, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Akathisia (Audio CD)

Simple but true: if you like Pink Floyd'sSaucerful of Secrets, you will like Akathisia by Hovercraft.

The comparison is particularly true when you think of the instrumentals on the Pink Floyd album. Hovercraft make their entire sound out of big drums, jet fuel bass and bending guitar. So few players, so many weird quarks, quasars and meteors of sound. Provide a huge throbbing beat and wrench the space sounds from the guitar. That is it, but the effect is as big as the galaxy.

There being no keyboard anywhere near Akathisia highly increases my admiration for this band: they are inventive enough to squeeze all this strange spacedust out of the most basic rock format. Taking the simple and making it the bizarre. You may not hear a lot of rock on this album. You may not hear a lot old stuffies might call music.

But whatever the hell you call it, you gotta hear this.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars listen to if you like sonic youth, October 31, 2004

By 

Timothy W. Layton (Towson, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Akathisia (Audio CD)

imagine an instrumental sonic youth cd. this is what it would like it. buy this cd. it will blow you away.