Monkey Trial by Hardscore

This is one of the more bizarre and intriguing things I’ve heard in quite a while. It’s set up as a kind of audio movie with a story about a woman who can talk to animals who has taken a chimp under her wing only to have him disappear. She hires a private detective to find the missing Buba. Right. Makes about as much sense as Uncle Meat or Joe’s Garage. Or The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, for that matter. Frequent “soundscapes” connect the musical pieces, moving the story along with recorded conversations and ambient noises. The musical tracks are precisely composed and very complex, with shifting meters and abrupt changes in style and instrumentation. The closest comparison would be Frank Zappa, an impression magnified by the presence of marimba and vibraphone. Other instruments include bass, drums, sax, occasional guitar, and lots of keyboards. Most of the vocals are female, with mixed backing parts; the phrasing and accents are awkward enough that reading along in the booklet is required for any sort of understanding. Due to the continual complexity, I’m also reminded of a brighter, more cheerful Art Bears or Science Group – not bad company to be in. The whole thing flows so smoothly from piece to piece with the story that it’s impossible to separate out individual tracks, so if you don’t have time to hear it all, it’s best not to start. This thoroughly strange and interesting listening experience should reward multiple playings well. Jon Davis (Exposé)

The latest album by Belgian chamber band HARDSCORE, which was formed by songwriter / marimbaist Frank Nuyts and released three albums (and one EP) from the late 90s to early 2000s. In addition to Nuyts, the band is based on female voices, keyboards, bass, drums and saxophone sextet, with guitars and organs as guests. Zappa and John Greaves / Peter Blegvad instead of the Belgian darkness derived from Univers Zero, centered on the marimba and attractive, uncluttered and flirty female voices that move in small steps with a smooth sound that flows while using a lot of complicated time signature. It includes two large suites featuring sudden scenes after scenes that are similar to Blegvad's "Kew Rhone". (Marquee Inc.)

Music from a future too far away