Customer Reviews

Triage

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is one album that does not deserve its obscurity -- it's a staggering, monumental concept album of decay, corruption, and cobbled-together life amid the angels and demons of modern American society. Serious themes, presented in an antiseptic yet apocalyptic fashion, drive home the deep skepticism of the artist toward our leaders, our corporate culture, and our ever-coarsening society. Try to imagine Steely Dan, with Tom Waits on board, only more cynical and jaded, and you have started to capture the mood of Triage. Truly not what you would expect from a member of David and David, this album is a Los Angeles bookend to Roger Water's equally bleak Amused to Death. A must-have if you are in a bad mood (or want to be in one).

This is an album I bought when it first came out, in 1992, and I played it to death. Baerwald's gleeful cynicism and weary pessimism were perfectly in tune with the "read-my-lips" presidency of George H.W. Bush. The nihilistic lyrics and extravagant production made an interesting dynamic contrast, and I found Baerwald's take on the issues of the day -- AIDS, nuclear armeggedon, homelessness, government corruption and corporate greed -- to be invigorating.

Then January '93 rolled around and Bush was ceremoniously thrown out of office. In the giddy optimism of the era [misplaced, it turned out], Baerwald's relentless negativity sounded completely out of place and I couldn't listen to this album anymore.

Ten years passed. Suddenly I kept hearing new bands that reminded me of "Triage" -- The Books, Aki Peltonen, Clothesline Revival, Robert Een, Johann Johannsson -- eventually the draw became irresistible and I had to buy "Triage" again.

And you know what? It's 1992 all over again. Only worse.

"Triage" is the somber wake-up call to 1990's "Bedtime Stories." Where the first album had its moments of humor and light, "Triage" is a headlong journey into hearts of darkness; sexual degradation, defeated love, Bremerian isolation, government abuse, and blind cultism, to name a few. Stylistically, it varies with its subject matter, from the languid and haunting pace of "Secret Silken World" and "Brand New Morning," to the mechanical chopping of "Got No Shotgun Hydra Head Octopus Blues," to the bitten-off beats of "The Waiter," to the spare notes of "China Lake" and "The Postman." It isn't as easy an album to like as "Bedtime Stories," but it's every bit as good and even more thought-provoking. Springsteen sells more copies, but Baerwald has more to say. Now if only it were possible to actually buy it.

When ,,Triage'' was first released, I had the honor and pleasure to review it for a monthly mag. I was swept away, even more than with ,,Bedtime Stories''. I listened again a short while ago and my opinion hasn't changed a bit: this album is pure and simple perfection, from the title and art work, over the succulent Beach Boys pastiche and eerie trumpet playing of Herb Alpert, accompanying the lure of the nightlife called ,,A Secret Silken World'' (a helluva song!), all the way to the final ,,Born For Love'', an ultimate, unexpected and heavenly Wiedergutmachung for the unabashed criticism on Reaganism the album displays almost throughout. One has only to go into the recording finesse (the samples are a real find-the-hidden-faces!) or analyse the lyrics, drenched in irony, full of dark humour and crammed with flashy puns and clever references far above the standards of ,,pop'' music, erudite, scholarly and yet pure rock `n roll. So the songs, well written, immensely diverse and poignant in their delivery, are as well great fun as meaningful in their social comment. No flaws, no fill ups, no loss of pace. And despite the hypochondriac ponderings, which would normally be sufficient to keep you wallowing in the mire, there's a heart beating, there's a firm belief in moral values (not the Reagan kind of morality, though) If you have to put it in one word, then ,,balance'' springs to mind. One would tend to forget, after all the louange and praise, what a brilliant...singer Mr. Baerwald is here, actually living his song's characters. After careful...triage of the many candidates, I found ,,Triage'' to be the best overall album of the nineties and one of the best of all times. And ,,The Waiter'' one of the best tunes of all times: ,,...though I must recommend the oysters hollandaise, I am told it increases your ardour...'' Yeah...

This cd certainly doesn't go down easy at all times, but contains some of Baerwald's most adventerous and heartfelt songs to date. Baerwald should be congratulated for flexing his sardonic wit and reaching deep inside for some truely moving music. It is my personal opinion of course but I consider everything from the instrumentation to the lyrical content some of the best of his career, making the disc continually challenging and enjoyable with each new listen. Saw David in Austin and he performed at least three of these songs some of the strongest of the set.

David and David's BOOMTOWN was the single best album of the entire 1980's decade. Baerwald's TRIAGE holds a likewise distinction for the 1990's -- BEST album of the entire decade. I gave this album an intensive in-depth review in the 133 page eBook David Baerwald Triage Constitutional Study Module, along with the TRIAGE short film, which was released on DVD in June 2004. To get the full lowdown, take the effort to get that DVD, which is still available, and well worth having. A two DVD affair, it contains several New Folk Underground shows, the complete Baerwald video catalog, and the TRIAGE short film, plus an unreleased track as a Easter Egg.

If anyone is interested in a copy of the TRIAGE STUDY MODULE eBook, just write me via my website THE KENTROVERSY PAPERS, and I will e-mail you a copy. My readers have said that this was well worth reading. David himself also offered generous and positive comments on the eBook, as well.

TRIAGE the album is best understood, once one knows HOW and WHY it was written. David goes into this in his INTRODUCES TRIAGE promotional CD, which I transcribe in the study module itself.

For example, A SECRET SILKEN WORLD becomes an audiobook come alive, with the listener themselves sitting in that limo, riding along on the prowl for trouble in middle Los Angeles. A jazzy song, it is always listenable.

Other standout tracks on TRIAGE are THE POSTMAN, A BITTER TREE, THE WAITER, NOBODY, and A BRAND NEW MORNING.

Baerwald was smart enough to comment on the conspiracy cultural zeitgeist that would reach fever-pitch one year after the albums release, with the new TV show called THE X-FILES. There was very good reason for this, and once one knows WHY THIS WAS, it makes Baerwald's motivation all the more powerful.

Beyond the music, I absolutely adore the Raymond Chandleresque lyrics of David Baerwald. He can paint a scene in twenty words. This is a talent on par with Bob Dylan and Jack Kerouac, as well as the aforementioned Raymond Chandler.

While BOOMTOWN is David's BEST work and a masterpiece of truly epic proportions, TRIAGE is his most underrated work, and ironically, David himself is in my opinion, the most underrated working musician in all of Los Angeles.

Do yourself a favor, and pick up a copy of this album.

Your ears and your mind will be forever thankful that you did.

I dug this CD back up again recently after a few years of collecting dust. It is fantastic! I remembered thinking it was a good CD if a bit dark, but I usually would pick David & David's Boomtown over it. After giving it another go, I see what a lost classic thing is. I isn't an easy listen by any means, but well worth the time. Silken World, Waiter, and China Lake are stand outs.

The fansite for David Baerwald (dbinfosource) has recently released a double DVD set that among other things features a short film based on the themes and concepts of David's Triage. More information can be found at www.dbinfosource.com/dvd/dvd.asp

Absolutely amazing... I bought this album when it came out on the back of a review (i.e. I wasn't familiar with David & David) and it has been one of my all-time favorite records ever since. There are not many CD's that have no weak track whatsoever, but this one of that select few, and it is simply stunning.

I'm not going to analyze the lyrics and theme's here but suffice to say it's dark, it's smart and relevant, it's got rough edges and is truly original. As a teaser, let's just say I had a big fight with my girlfriend over how to interpret the line `on her way to the abortion, she said "babies take hope"'...provocative to say the least. And while the journey on this album is a dark and cynical one it ends on a surprising positive note: "why was I born? I was born for love."

The music is brooding and funky, if those two make sense together, and the soundscapes he creates are unique. I don't know anything like it and can only recommend you go try and find this album somewhere.

After Triage I have been trying hard to find his other work, and while there are some true gems in there as well (`The toughest whore in Babylon' from the She's so lovely soundtrack, `A prisoner's dream' and `Black Mamba Kiss' from the `Hurlyburly' soundtrack, `If', `nothing's gonna bring me down' and `weirdo, ...'from `here comes the newfolkunderground' are personal favorites, and Bedtime Stories and Boomtown also hold very strong material), somehow the other albums never got to me as strongly as Triage.

Wonderful art.

Spoiler Alert: Are U kiddin' me? Justice is U just listening for yourself. Believe it, rube. Hurlyburly: Soundtrack From The Motion Picture