Customer Reviews

Pillow Wand

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of 2 meetings by this duo on December 30, 1996 (the other being "In-Store" recorded at Rhino Records Westwood). Moore & Cline are on the same wavelength on this superb effort. This recording is all about the guitar and its beauty of creating spellbinding sound and elegant noise. One of the best improvised guitar duets along with the meeting of Derek Bailey & Henry Kaiser...

I had this CD but sold it because the studio cannot reproduce what Nels Cline & Thurston Moore can do live, solo, and together, as the Rhino Westwood live CD attests. I would give that CD 6 stars. I first introduced myself and others to that album when I DJ'd live on the radio with my own radio show when I worked for KSPC back in the day. ;P I picked myself up my own copy quite a while ago, so people can now stop emailing me about how to get it, although it is interesting to talk with some of you about rare music. ;) I have seen Sonic Youth live a bunch of times and Nels Cline once, and they are both individually amazing, and the Rhino Westwood live CD brings the excitement of the two live together. Unfortunately, THIS album ("Pillow Wand") falls flat most of the time, even for someone who likes noise as much as I do. It just doesn't have the kinetic energy of the other album. So don't overpay for this one, and pick up the other CD. And see either live act whenever you can because they will truly blow you away. Another great but impossible to find companion cassette to the Rhino CD would be the Thurston Moore collaboration with Beck live at KXLU released by DGC in March 1994. I hope I don't frustrate you too much by telling you about great albums that you can't find and Amazon doesn't carry. Happy hunting. :) 6/10

If you are a sonic youth fan looking for some of the better side efforts from individual band members, pick this up. You will NEED to own "We Love Our Blood," which is just as great as anything SY turned out on SYR1 (another must have). The songs have structure, melodies, etc. rather than a giant noise-fest or sparse experimentation. One of Thurston's best side projects easily.