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Weingarten Ormiston Neon — Submergings - 2024 Remaster
(Multiphase Records MP-CD132, 1981/2024, CD / DL)

Carl Weingarten & Gale Ormiston — Windfalls - 2024 Remaster
(Multiphase Records MP-CD133, 1983/2024, CD / DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2024-11-27

Submergings - 2024 Remaster Cover artWindfalls - 2024 Remaster Cover art

Take a trip back to the beginning on the wayback machine, and for the purpose of this review, that would be Saint Louis, Missouri in 1981, and you’ll find three innovative musicians diligently working on something new, perhaps inspired somewhat by the mid-70s recordings and performances by Fripp & Eno, but probably more likely other early creators of looptronic experimentation as well. In fact, Submergings was the very first recording to feature either Carl Weingarten (guitars, synthesizers, effects, loops, voice recordings) or Gale Ormiston (loops, voices, synthesizers), with only guitarist Phil Neon (a pseudonym of David Udell) having recorded with his earlier bands, Earwacks and Wax Theatricks, in the St. Louis area. The original LP was a full collaborative effort that featured four long tracks beginning with “Layers in Sequence,” a mix of guitars, synthesizers, and voice loops that goes through a number of changes throughout its twelve-minute duration; some of the electronic sounds are positively mind-bending, even by today’s standards. The new remastered version of the album closes with a full length alternate remix of “Layers...” that brings out other features of the piece that can barely be heard on the original. “Transitions” follows, a beautiful five-part ambient medley featuring voice loops (with many guests participating), synthesizers, acoustic and electric guitars, effects, and field recordings. At almost eight minutes, “Jonah” is the shortest track from the original LP, beginning the second side; it’s an interesting duo for two synthesizers (Weingarten and Ormiston), with Phil Neon sitting out, but returning for the fifteen minute title track that closes the second side of the original LP, a powerful workout for two guitars, electronics, whammy effects, loops, and synthesizers, a continuously evolving piece that piques the imagination. In addition to the alternate “Layers...” the remaster includes a previously unreleased track, “They Never Return,” so titled due to a repeating voice loop that accompanies some very strange synth and electronics across its eight minute duration.

The next project by this team, Windfalls, started in January 1982 and didn’t conclude until mid ‘83, during which time the Delay Tactics project was launched, and in fact even though the album is credited to Weingarten and Ormiston, who both composed and appear on every track, Walter Whitney (synthesizers and percussion from Delay Tactics) and David Udell (guitar and celesta – now using his real name), both appear on many of the seven tracks on the original LP, now newly remastered on CD with two bonus tracks, one previously unreleased and another that was only available on the cassette release. By comparison with its predecessor, Windfalls seems a lot more synth oriented, even though Weingarten plays guitar and loops on every cut except one, and even flute on one piece, Ormiston plays synthesizer and sequencer exclusively throughout. For those familiar with the first Delay Tactics, it’s difficult to listen to this without hearing some similarities, although many of the electronic sounds here tend to be more stretchy and textural, and a little less loopy and repetitive in character. The album opens with “Rainy Journey,” featuring both Weingarten and Ormiston on synths, while Udell handles the guitar duties plus celesta; the synths provide an interesting and evolving sequenced pattern while the guitar comes up from behind with a howling clarity of beautiful tones. Appropriately titled, “Between Clouds” begins with two soft and dreamy synthesizers (Ormiston and Whitney) while Weingarten’s guitar loops stretch out in every direction, blending nicely with the fabric of the piece. “Currents” features guitar loops at the fore, while synths adorn the background, a bit more experimental than most of what’s here. The title track is the only piece on the album that features all four players: Ormiston and Whitney on synthesizers, while Udell plays forward lead guitar and Weingarten plays reverse guitars. Another standout is the ten-minute “Sand,” which closed out the original LP, with Ormiston’s synth dueling with Weingarten’s guitar and effects, and some incidental saxophone textures from guest player Dominic Schaeffer blending into the fabric of the piece. The first of the two bonus cuts is “Sojourn,” featuring Ormiston on multi-layered sequenced synths while Weingarten’s guitar pyrotechnics roar from on high, while “Prodigal Flow” offers plenty of expressive space for both players. It was a long time coming, but both of these remastered editions (by Jeremy Goody) sound better than ever. Weingarten and Whitney’s Dreaming in Colors (originally from 1985) and Weingarten’s 1988 solo album Laughing at Paradise have also gotten Goody’s remaster treatment in 2024.

Filed under: Reissues, 2024 releases, 1981 recordings, 1983 recordings

Related artist(s): Carl Weingarten, David Udell

More info
http://carlweingarten.bandcamp.com/album/submergings-remastered-edition
http://carlweingarten.bandcamp.com/album/windfalls-remastered-edition
http://carlweingarten.bandcamp.com/album/dreaming-in-colors-remastered-edition
http://carlweingarten.bandcamp.com/album/laughing-at-paradise-remastered-edition

 

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