Speed Dating

Leandro, Eduardo; Hyakutome, Takao; Stony Brook Chamber Players, The; Applebaum, Mark; Southern Oregon University Percussion Ensemble; Longshore, Terry

Mark Applebaum has never been one to shy away from making connections, even odd ones. In fact, one could argue that’s what composing is all about. In his latest assemblage, Speed Dating, five smartly absurd works (three of which deal with history in some wry fashion) are presented for your kind consideration. The album opens with a tip of the hat to pioneering soundpoet Charles Amirkhanian, who in 1972 famously made a rhythmic tape piece out of the words rainbow, chug, bandit, and bomb. In Applebaum’s Three Unlikely Corporate Sponsorships, he uses his own voice contrapuntally, ranting ever more hilariously about the injustices of the world today. Biting socio-political commentary has rarely been more foot tapping. Applebaum reached into his home storage space and fired up eight classic analog synths from the 80s. Skeletons in the Closet uses a randomizing digital Max patch to operate on these dusty treasures, no doubt frustrating purists while delightfully mangling the past. In Clicktrack, a dozen percussionists make a quiet Cageian racket, following precise rhythms in their headphones while the audience hears scratchy noises and fragments of text. The humorous and provocative album is vintage Applebaum; not for the unprepared. Especially the third track, Halliburton, that comes with a Parental Advisory warning for strong language.

Price: $20.98

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