Invisible Means [Import]

French/Frith/Kaiser/Thompson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 24, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Demon Records UK
• ASIN: B00000117T
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #316,619 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Peppermint Rock

2. To The Rain

3. Lizard's Tail

4. March Of The Cosmetic Surgeons

5. Suzanne

6. Quick Sign

7. Begging Bowl

8. Kalo Takariva-Requiem For Maurice Halison

9. Invisible Means

10. Loch Lomond

11. The Book Of Lost Dreams

12. Days Of Our Lives

13. The Evening News

14. The Nearsighted Heron

15. Now That I Am Dead

16. Hunting Sunsets

17. Killing Jar

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best CDs you haven't heard, April 20, 2002

By 

x_bruce (Oak Park, ILLINOIS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invisible Means (Audio CD)

French-Frith-Kaiser-Thompson, perhaps not household names but they should be. John French played a stint with Captain Beefheart for a few albums. Fred Frith was a member of Henry Cow and solo performer as well as bassist on John Zorn's Naked City album. Henry Kaiser has created some of the most interesting experimental guitar albums for several decades and has a ton of album credits to his name. Richard Thompson is probably the most familiar of the artists here. His work in folk and rock based music has been vast.

The common thread all these musicians share are their willingness to experiment. Thompson is the least experimental of the lot and keeps this project together frequently with his song based approach. The mood of his contributions range from chilling (Killing Jar) to biting satire (Now That I Am Dead). His vocals are in top form with fitting performances to the mood of the song.

John French is the other lead vocalist and has a distinct quality to his voice, at once smooth and lyrical with subdued soul. Songs like To the Rain and Invisible Means are interesting counterpoints to Thompson's dark toned, almost smokey singing.

There are several instrumental songs that incorporate experimental guitar timbres and at times progressive style meter and key changes while staying more lyrical and subdued than typical progressive music. Frith and Kaiser are best featured in the instrumental framework of songs like Lizard's Tail and Kalo Takariva-Requiem For Maurice Halison.

Invisible Means is one of those rare albums that feature top flight artists that work elements of their signature sounds while making music that is different than what they are associated with.

Days Of Our Lives is a smartly worded, funny parody of soap operas while Suzanne is a mix of blues based rock meets experimental.

Each track is the sum of the players rather than vehicles for stars to play on. The quality of musicianship and involving music is high. This album was considered the lesser of two studio releases by these superb players. It is the more ambitious of the two releases with Live Love Larf & Loaf, the first album being more relaxed and playful.

If you know of these musicians but are unfamiliar don't expect a retread of their music in this project. Still, chances are you will not be disappointed by the good natured (for the most part) music to be found here.

Well worth tracking down.

4.0 out of 5 stars Goes in many different directions, but it's a lot of fun, June 8, 2002

By 

woburnmusicfan (Woburn, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invisible Means (Audio CD)

I like this 2nd CD by guitarists Richard Thompson and Henry Kaiser, bass/violinist Fred Frith, and drummer John French more than the first. The highs on this album are higher than its predecessor, though you could easily argue that the lows are also lower. There is a lot of good humor and upbeat rock--the two are combined on the album's definite highlight, a rave-up(!) version of the traditional "Loch Lomond" ("you take the high road and I'll take the low road..."). Thompson does his usual manic-depressive Richard Thompson thing, with the lively "Peppermint Rock" and the hilarious operetta "March of the Cosmetic Surgeons" offset by the bone-chilling "Killing Jar" and maudlin "Begging Bowl"--all but the last are good songs that just wouldn't quite fit on his solo albums. French contributes another song that will have you laughing out loud, "Now That I Am Dead", with its musician who finally becomes famous posthumously, along with a nice ballad, "To the Rain", and a couple of solid rockers, "Suzanne" and the bluesy "Invisible Means". Those who didn't like "Live, Love" because Frith and Kaiser weren't providing their usual sonic experiment instrumentals will be happy; each contributes a few here. To me, several of these are the weakest cuts on the album. Frith's "Lizard's Tail" and "Quick Sign" are the most successful. Kaiser's "Days of Our Lives" is terrible musically, but the middle has a funny recitation of soap opera plot summaries ("Thinking that the figure in the window is Ethan, Laura shoots"). Musically, you get both some of Thompson's slashing guitar solos and Kaiser's upper-register playing (his solos are the guitar equivalent of Mariah Carey/Minnie Ripperton's high notes).