4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interrogation time w/ Mr. Ashley, May 7, 2000
This review is from: eL/Aficionado (Audio CD)
This is such a weird, ominous, hypnotic work. One of Robert Ashley's operas, but in this case the 'action' takes the form of an interrogation of an agent. Maybe. You're not wholly sure, really. It could be people talking about personal ads, too, but again...you're not sure. All you're sure of, listening to this, is that it gets inside your brain and tries to hypnotize you, like some CIA program...which fits the motif, again. Over a droning background, Thomas Buckner intones while questions fly from a trio of voices, and although sonically this gets pretty lulling, you also get the feeling that something here is very wrong. Disconcerting? Yep. But effective, too, especially as a dramatic device as that lulling sound also seems to carry with it part of the sense of menace that never emerges here, but seems to always be lurking just outside of the recording itself. I'd pigeonhole this in with Wm. S. Burroughs's work...not the recorded stuff, but the books, as they also carry that same weird feel to them. Very recommended, but I'd suggest listening to this with a very tall coffee at hand...otherwise those interrogators are going to start getting at you, too!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
