Initiate

Nels Cline | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Cryptogramophone
• ASIN: B0037O2VTE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,856 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

CD One == 1. Into It [9:20] == 2. Floored [4:27] == 3. Devining [4:54] == 4. You Noticed [7:48] == 5. Red Line to Greenland [6:29] == 6. Mercy (Supplication) [6:37] == 7. Grow Closer [7:38] == 8. Scissor/Saw [8:28] == 9. B86 (Inkblot Nebula) [10:02] == 10 King Queen [7:15] == 11. Zingiber [3:51] == 12. Mercy (Procession) [7:00] == 13. Into It (You Turn) [2:55] == ||| CD Two == 1. Forge [8:20] == 2. Fly Fly [11:25] == 3. Raze [8:08] == 4. And Now the Queen [5:35] == 5. Blues, Too [7:13] == 6. Thurston County [9:14] == 7. Sunken Song [7:05] == 8. Boogie Woogie Waltz [14:25] == ||| Musicians == Nels Cline == Scott Amendola == Devin Hoff == ||| Special guests (on disc one): == David Witham == Yuka Honda == ||| Special guests (on disc two): == Greg Saunier == Satomi Matsuzaki == John Dieterich ||||| Disc one: Mar. 23-25 2009 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley ||||| Disc two: Sept. 3 2009 Live at Cafe du Nord, San Francisco

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired & Varied, April 14, 2010

By 

A. Stockton (Benicia, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Initiate (Audio CD)

Nels, Scott & Devin have ascended another peak with Initiate. Initiate is a double album that is well worth the long format.

Disk 1 (studio) is a carefully-produced grouping of new NCS material that finds the gang exploring and expanding. Music with raging tempos and perilous structure make way for pieces that possess love-song sentimentality and gorgeous hooks. Although there is more experimentation on this album (electronic instruments and maybe some studio tricks) the Singers sound comfortable, the music doesn't sound forced, and the tracks are strong and memorable. The gentle "Grow Closer" would be my favorite track from Disk 1 if I had to choose. "Mercy (Procession)" is another outstanding track that slowly builds and builds into a loud, tense, and unrestrained finally.

Disk 2 (live) finds the NCS in perfect form. Disk 2, unlike disk 1, is RAW. Anyone that has seen the NCS live knows how deliciously raw they sound. One high point on disk 2 is "Forge" which features Nels' furious right hand and agile left (both of which would be devastating if possessed by a pugilist) and Devin and Scott's loudly-precise rhythm section(like having just your rear molars knocked out by a mighty hammer of war). Another notable track would be a cover of Weather Report's "Boogie Woogie Waltz". Thankfully we now have a NCS live disk.

Also, Nels and crew have outdone themselves with respect to the packaging of Initiate. The artwork and design of the album warrants the pressing of some vinyl. I would recommend buying the album in lieu of the download for this reason only.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Modern Standard for Electric Guitar, May 14, 2010

By 

Srinjay Banerjee "Synaesthetic Monk" (Ithaca, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Initiate (Audio CD)

This is the first time that I'm hearing a Nels Cline solo effort. I was only aware of him prior to this as having been the guitar player for Wilco, and had heard his tasty minimalist/textural ideas. I did know that he reworked Coltrane's "Interstellar Space" with himself and a drummer. Though I haven't heard the album myself, I read positive things about it and I figured I owed it to myself to check this album out.

After having gone through the first CD, I have to re-iterate: this is the modern standard for electric guitar music. Perhaps I'm too taken in, because what I have heard was something completely beyond my expectations. Every once in a while there come musicians who turn the world on its ear. Combined with an impeccable grasp on the music and jaw-dropping technique, they also create music which reaches the highest possible limits of imagination; music that syncretizes every aspect of human emotion into a cohesive whole and reflects the spirit of its time, and in doing so paradoxically becomes timeless.

I believe Nels Cline has been truly successful in this very difficult task. Channeling the spirits of the late John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix and Karlheinz Stockhausen, with dreamy surreal escapades into perhaps the mind of David Lynch, interwoven guitar lines reminiscent of part Jim Hall (to which he dedicates a song) part Sonny Sharrock; all effortlessly assimilated into Mr. Cline's own musical identity. This is what electric guitar should sound like today and this music is its perfect showcase because ironically there is no more the separation between instrument, gadgets for sonic manipulation, harmonic framework and musical content. In a sense, sometimes the guitar transcends above its own existence in the MUSIC - and that's just wonderful, 'cos underneath it's all its again very much present and alive.

For anyone who's interested in hearing what tomorrow will sound like, please check out this album.

I wish I could describe the music in more generic terms or accessible sonic labels, but that would just be foolish, and wrong. Thank you Nels Cline for turning me back onto the electric guitar when I was beginning to think, it's just about all been done. I am indebted to you forever.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Dual Disc!, July 3, 2010

By 

B. T. Lauffer (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Initiate (Audio CD)

Another great, and very intense CD from the Nels Cline Singers! A must have for any fan.