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The Necks — Hanging Gardens
(ReR Megacorp NECKS1, 2001, CD / DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2002-04-24

Hanging Gardens Cover art

Where to start? The first thing that strikes the listener about this one-hour improv is that the drummer never stops riffing the whole time; the guy is just on fire (okay, he does take a break for a few minutes in the middle, but...). This Australian trio of keys, drums, and bass plays this subtle but highly kinetic groove that just keeps moving forward at high speed, yet while the bass and drums are quite busy at the bottom end, the keyboardist is mostly providing atmospherics via Hammond organ, piano, and Fender Rhodes at the top end of the sonic spectrum. Definitely repetitive and somewhat minimalist, with an illusion of simplicity, and even somewhat ambient, although a close listen reveals all sorts of intricate detail within the music that’s constantly changing and evolving. I’m tempted to make a comparison to Species Being or Moe’s Meat here, but The Necks are not so heavy and revolutionary, preferring subtlety and a bit more of a light jazzy feel overall. One can, in fact, sleep to this music — it’s nothing short of hypnotic and trance inducing. This is no less than the band’s seventh album; they have been around since 1987, and a newer disc has already been released, which I suppose makes this ReR edition technically a reissue. Beyond classification, this is not going to reach out and grab you by the jugular; instead it blossoms slowly over a number of listens, revealing subtle nuances with each repeat play. Highly recommended.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 24, 2001 releases

Related artist(s): The Necks

More info
http://thenecks2.bandcamp.com/album/hanging-gardens

 

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