Customer Reviews

Womblife

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

 

 

This record was a step forward for John Fahey. The people who give this bad reviews would prefer that he had done the same thing with every record he made. Most of Fahey's acclaim comes from his innovation, accept womb life as innovation and enjoy it. It does not sound like terminal pharmacy, it is not over produced. This record rules.

Actually, Fahey recorded this one himself right there in the motel where he was living at the time; he got a little help with the tape loops (not from Jim O'Rourke) but that's about all. So it's just exactly as he intended. Which means it's difficult stuff, mainly, because this is the New Fahey - no more Mr Nice Guy, no more Blues or Folk or whatever it was - now you get Industrial Ambient. Hmmm. I do enjoy the idea of Fahey tearing up his whole back catalogue, trashing all his old fans and heading out into... Somewhere Else. (Starting with "City of Refuge" and continuing with "The Epiphany of Glenn Jones") But I probably like the idea better than I like this cd. On the other hand, Gamelan found sounds are nothing new. Check out Fahey's 1968 composition "A Raga Called Pat" (on "The Voice of the Turtle").

Ok this one is dense, but I don't think it should be compared with Mr. Fahey's early works, this stage of his work is part of a very complex evolution. You have to simply let yourself go, like you did'nt knew a thing, like being, really, in a womb.

There are a few moments of brilliance on this disc, but for the most part they are literally drowned out by Jim O'Rourke's heavy handed production. This CD is a mess of droning atonal slide guitar, feedback, and various other industrial noises. In fact, it sounds not unlike O'Rourke's own Terminal Pharmacy with hotter mastering and glimpses of real musical brilliance.

This was the first John Fahey CD I bought, and I'm very thankful that I was not discouraged enough to refrain from purchasing a few more. His earlier work is brilliant. Fahey's music, like that of any talented musician is ultimately more interesting unadorned.

This is really unlistenable except for "juana" the rest sounds like he's fretting with an eel (or various other fish) or even someone else's hands, underwater in a bathtub listening to harry partch whilst being recorded by an amateur with a very cheap tape recorder. Shame I like new music but this ain't new. Listen to the classic J.F.'s and avoid this one like the great white shark! I'm glad I didn't start with this one.