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Reviews

Gongzilla — East Village Sessions
(LoLo 017-2, 2003, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2003-08-01

East Village Sessions Cover art

For their fourth release, Gongzilla has moved in a slightly different direction than might have been anticipated from their Live album. That aggressive dual guitar attack has shifted to a more percussion-driven style, with Gary Husband at the kit, Benoît Moerlen on marimba and vibraphone, and Phil Kester on additional percussion; in fact this is the most “Gong” sounding of all the Gongzillas, often recalling the work on albums like Downwind and Time Is the Key. Hansford Rowe’s intense and driving bass holds the framework all together, while Bon Lozaga’s fluid guitar work adds the tonal color and melody to every piece, like the lubrication in a smooth running machine. The explorations range from the exquisite and dreamy “Lilly” to the playful and serpentine “No Pennies Please” to the angular peregrinations of “Aquila,” where Lozaga turns in some of his most colorful looping guitar work and blistering leads, somewhat reminiscent of David Torn. The variety of expression across the eight tracks, within the extended boundaries of what might be called heavy fusion, give this all-instrumental disc a surprising degree of accessibility. Dave Fiuczynski, a regular on the Live album, makes an appearance here on “The News,” offering some tasty guitar work driving through a forest of percolating percussives. “Thrive,” the missing title track of the last studio album makes its first appearance here, joining some subtle Spanish guitar stylings to a distinctive latin feel. All in all, the outstanding compositions and superb musicianship throughout make this a most compelling release.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 27, 2003 releases

Related artist(s): Gongzilla, David Fiuczynski, Bon Lozaga, Gary Husband

 

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