She Has No Strings Apollo

Dirty Three | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 18, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Touch & Go Records
• ASIN: B000088NS7
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,780 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Alice Wading

2. She Has No Strings

3. Long Way to Go With No Punch

4. No Stranger Than That

5. Sister Let Them Try & Follow

6. She Lifted the Net

7. Rude (And Then Some Slight Return)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The esoteric wistfulness of Australian instrumentalists Dirty Three once again shines on She Has No Strings Apollo, though something's changed for the trio. Here their melancholic sensibilities aren't subjected to chaotic outbursts, as in the past. Anchored by drummer Jim White's jazzy shuffles, violinist Warren Ellis plays sad melodies while Mick Turner's rootless guitar splashes color the edges. Though less dynamically extreme and of a folksier disposition than Slint or Mogwai, D3 have a similar ability to accelerate from 0 to 11 in the course of a song. Selections like "She Has No Strings" exhibit a deliberate minimalism akin to Low (with whom they collaborated on 1999's excellent In the Fishtank), only to dissolve into a bramble of string-driven noise. Still, the grand cacophony of Ocean Songs isn't as prominent, with a few exceptions--notably White's explosion at the end of "Sister Let Them Try and Follow." Few bands, however, make slowing down sound this risky. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description

Sounds crashing together with remarkable power, fury, and beauty. Dirty Three make that rare breed of music that's raw, pure, expressive, and untainted by artifice. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Junkmedia Magazine Review, February 18, 2003

By 

junkmedia (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: She Has No Strings Apollo (Audio CD)

When an artist deals in a limited palette, especially for as long as the Dirty Three have, any minor change is bound to be seen as a major revelation (and occasionally, as a welcome surprise).

For those unfamiliar with the band in question, they might be summed up as such : a classically trained violinist with no hang ups about proper "tone", an unconventional guitarist with a predilection towards drones and a percussionist who more often than not plays his kit with assorted rattles and mallets as opposed to plain vanilla drum sticks. The trio play mournful old world ballads that are continuously upended by a serious urge to freak out.

She Has No Strings Apollo may very well be Dirty Three's greatest accomplishment to date, at least since 1996's classic Horse Stories. The dreary repetitive grind that was Ocean Songs and the limited instrumental palette of Whatever You Love, You Are have been replaced with what one could guardedly call a sense of variety. Keep in mind, this is still the Dirty Three we're talking about, so it's not that much different than their other releases, but it is a bit more varied.

The opening strains of bowed violin and plaintive guitar picking may sound familiar enough, but once the band establishes its groove -- complete with overdubbed pizzicato violin, distorted guitar chords and looped background arpeggiated motifs -- you'll know something has changed. Overdubbing is nothing new for the trio. Whatever You Love, You Are featured Warren Ellis's dueling overdubbed violin lines on a number of tracks. But on this here platter the band has decided to add instruments heretofore absent from their arsenal. Piano, organ and bass all make an appearance alongside the usual guitar, violin and trap set.

The first track "Alice Wading", starts off sprightly enough, and only continues to build momentum until the inevitable climax. The most surprising thing about this album, however, is the groups' newfound embrace of varied rhythms. Granted there are plenty of the pre-requisite dirges and wailing drones propelled along by Jim White's free form drumming style that typify the Dirty Three sound, but there is an energy here that seems lacking on their last few releases.

In other developments, "Long Way To Go With No Punch" may actually be the single sweetest melody ever written by the trio, complete with simple piano figures and minimal, almost orchestral drumming. Personally, the biggest shocker for me was the closing cut "Rude (and then some slight return)", in which the band starts off playing one of its trademark rubato, mournful, rustling percussion dirges. But when the proverbial "chorus" kicks in ... it's straight four-on-the-floor with crunchy guitar chords from Mick Turner and all that it implies -- straight up rawk. It is as surprising in its straight forwardness as in its effectiveness.

For those unfamiliar with the band's work, this is the perfect place to dive in. For those that already have a fondness for them, this will not disappoint.

-- Troy Collins

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Swirling, lovely, July 24, 2003

By 

Digby "Nice dress Mrs. Lynch" (Guatemala City, Guatemala) - See all my reviews

This review is from: She Has No Strings Apollo (Audio CD)

I'm having a hard time getting this out of my cd rotation. "She Has No Strings" is about the most compelling violin music I've ever heard. The sound violinist Warren Ellis produces is so, so sad. Aching, sorrowful. Guitarist Mick Turner's guitar companion piece, which near the end overtakes the violin, cries for release. At the end, both violin and guitar are weeping. Jim White's drumming on this is almost militaristic, but perfect for keeping everything tightly together.

This was my first exposure to Dirty Three and I have to say, I like what I hear. Rich, emotive storytelling music without the words. Try it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, February 21, 2003

By 

C. Bray "dent" (Chula Vista, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: She Has No Strings Apollo (Audio CD)

The first time I listened to this cd I thought it was unimaginative and tedious but all it took was a second listen to realize it may be the best thing they've done so far. The title track in particular is amazing. I am a courier at night and this cd never left the player for the whole 8 hours of my shift. My only gripe is that it didn't have more songs on it. A band should be forbidden from releasing two 7 song albums in a row but this one is so good i'll forgive them.