Exposé Online

The World Comes to Seattle —
WOMAD USA 1998

The first WOMAD (World Of Music Art and Dance) festival was in 1982, inspired in large part by Peter Gabriel’s love of music from around the world. Since then, there have been festivals in various locations in Europe, Africa, and Asia on a regular basis, but aside from a short tour of one-day mini-festivals in 1993, WOMAD has never gained a foothold in North America. The festival has finally found an American home in Redmond, Washington at Marymoor Park, not far from Seattle. 1998’s WOMAD USA is the first of many projected annual festivals, and if they can all be as interesting and varied as this one, I wish them a long and healthy life. One of the things that sets WOMAD apart from other festivals is the chance to interact with the artists in workshops, discussions and interviews.

 » Read more
(Posted by Jon Davis 1998-07-01)

(Tom Newman) - Variations on a Rhythm of Mike Oldfield - David Bedford

This is a four track EP, and is basically a Tom Newman album. It's confusing, I know. This is some of that stuff you know Oldfield and Co. did for laughs (when perhaps beer and worse entered the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dane Carlson 1998-07-01)

Alejandro Lomelin - Luz de Intenso Azul

Luz is the instrumental solo project of keyboardist Alejandro Lomelin, of the Mexican band Caja De Pandora. For the most part this is a work of simpler repetitive piano figures and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1998-07-01)

Amber Asylum - The Natural Philosophy of Love

For quick reference you might call this "Gothic Ambient". Amber Asylum is Kris Force (Swans), Martha Burns, and Annabel Lee, but Force is the major songwriter. Several other musicians...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dane Carlson 1998-07-01)

Ancient Curse - The Landing

The strains of an acoustic guitar, a soft vocal, then comes the barrage. If I were to contain this review to only word, it would be: Metallica. Ancient Curse do not appear to make any claims at...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dane Carlson 1998-07-01)

Anekdoten - Live EP

Recorded one night in Cozmoz, Sweden in 1996, this short EP is a solid testament to the raw power Anekdoten exude in the live setting. Four tunes are included: "Nucleus," "The...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1998-07-01)

Anekdoten - Official Bootleg: Live in Japan

Recorded over two nights of the band's recent trip to Japan, this double-CD live set captures perfectly the confident and relentlessly energetic live sound Anekdoten has developed. The set...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1998-07-01)

Bill Bruford with Ralph Towner and Eddie Gomez - If Summer Had Its Ghosts

When Bill Bruford is on break from his drum duties with King Crimson, what would you expect him to do? Should he go on vacation or work in another less hectic, but rewarding mode? If Summer Had...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1998-07-01)

Bruford Levin - Upper Extremities

Upper Extremities serves as one of the new Crimson off-shoot projects while the next incarnation literally plays its way into existence. Bill Bruford and Tony Levin have conceived and executed a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1998-07-01)

Buckethead - Colma

You really have to ask yourself: what kind of credible artist wears a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket on his head and a Friday the 13th mask? Most people would think he must be somewhat of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1998-07-01)

Curlew - Fabulous Drop

Raw, jazzy, abrasive, avant, noisy, and yet oddly smooth. That's Curlew rapped up in a nutshell. Led by the blaring sax musings of George Cartwright, Curlew forges on strongly with this new...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1998-07-01)

Didkovsky / MacLean / Vrtacek - Flies in the Face of Logic

This disc is sectioned into three distinct perspectives of composition, using an unfamiliar primary instrument for each composer: the piano. First up is Steve MacLean, who in the course of four...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1998-07-01)

Elton Dean / Paul Dunmall - If Dubois Only Knew

Two seasoned British sax players: just them, no keyboard, guitar, bass, or drums for accompaniment. Uh-oh! Eight songs of duets and free jazz performance? God, I need some Tylenol, just thinking...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1998-07-01)

Escapade - Obscured Dialogues

Those who have checked out Escapade’s previous two releases, Searching for the Elusive Rainbow and Inner Transluscence, may have some idea of what to expect from this...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1998-07-01)

Gentle Giant - King Biscuit Flower Hour

Gentle Giant as a live touring band (1970-1980) were always in a period of transition and refinement. The group would craft a challenging album from the palette of musical ideas by Kerry Minnear and...  » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1998-07-01)

Gentle Giant - Under Construction

Gentle Giant was at its best when adding polyphonic arrangements to aggressive rock music. Determining who was responsible was merely a scan of the writing credits, where "Shulman, Shulman and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1998-07-01)

Gong - You Remixed & Hawkwind - Future Reconstructions

It's a prog chill-out! Phew! I made it. The disc is over! God be praised! What we have here is a techno / ambient version of Gong's masterpiece, You. 16 different "bands"...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dane Carlson 1998-07-01)

Hawkwind - Love in Space

A live album from the Alien 4 tour, featuring Dave, Alan, Richard. and Ron Tree. Judging from the photos in this neat little package, the tour props were pretty good. A Terminator...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dane Carlson 1998-07-01)

Hoahio - Happy Mail

Have you ever heard Japanese cult band After Dinner? Not another (neo-)prog oriented band from Japan, I reassure you, but one of the most simply beautiful melodic RIO and avant-garde groups from...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jerome Schmidt 1998-07-01)

Holger Czukay - Moving Pictures

If Holger Czukay continues to bring forth projects of the caliber achieved here, he will continue to keep my attention. For Moving Pictures is much more delicate on the sensitive ear than...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1998-07-01)