Western Culture

Western Culture Artist: Henry Cow
Label: East Side Digital
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Format: Original recording reissued
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 021561816527
EAN: 0021561816527
ASIN: B00006310N


Release Date: 2002-03-12

Western Culture


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Jazz | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive Rock Progressive Rock
Categories | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
Experimental Rock Experimental Rock
Categories | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive Progressive
Categories | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. Industry
  2. The Decay Of Cities
  3. On The Raft
  4. Falling Away
  5. Gretel's Tale
  6. Look Back
  7. Half The Sky
  8. Viva Pa Ubu
  9. Look Back (Alt)
  10. Slice

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Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A remarkable and final album by Henry Cow .......2006-05-23

Apparently not interested in re-treading the same ground over and over again "to earn their pensions", this 1978 album would be Henry Cow's last before disbanding later in 1978.

The core musicians on this album include excellent drummer and bandleader Chris Cutler (who also plays electrified drums, "noise", piano, and trumpet); Lindsay Cooper (bassoon, oboe, soprano saxophone, and soprano recorder); Tim Hodgkinson (organ, alto saxophone, clarinet, and Hawaiian guitar); and Fred Frith (electric and acoustic guitars, electric bass, banjo, and soprano saxophone). Other musicians that play on the album include Georgie Born (electric bass); Anne-Marie Roelofs (trombone and violin); and Irene Schweitzer (piano).

The seven tracks on the album are divided into two larger works including History and Prospects (Tracks 1-3) and Day by Day (Tracks 4-7). The three additional tracks include one taken from the Dagmar Krause (vocalist) period (Viva pa Ubu), an alternate take of Look Back, and an outtake from the 1978 Western Culture sessions. The three additional tracks are excellent.

Like all of their albums, the music on Western Culture is highly disciplined yet is almost anarchic at points. This strain of progressive rock is also extremely complex, atonal, jagged, and at times, quite abrasive - yet buried in there are moments of calm and deep reflection. I personally find the combination pretty exciting. Along with standard rock instruments (including incredible drumming by Chris Cutler) woodwinds are featured prominently, and the arrangements are dense and angular. In general, the compositions are essentially a whirlwind of sound that fuses elements of "post-war" classical, jazz, free jazz, and rock.

Music Album:

  1. One St Stephen ~ One St Stephen
  2. Appropriation (By Any Other Name) ~ The Long Blondes
  3. It's All Good ~ Mick Ralphs
  4. Turn It Around ~ Hutch
  5. Keep the Change ~ Eric Hamilton Band
  6. The Allman Brothers Band/Idlewild South/At Fillmore East ~ The Allman Brothers Band
  7. Tonight I Fell in Love ~ The Tokens
  8. Live ~ Cechomor
  9. Getaway ~ Texas
  10. Beauty and the Beast ~ Cassiber

Music Album

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Non-Stop to Brazil ~ Luiz Bonf%C3%A1

The Brass Is Back ~ Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass

The Prestige Jazz Quartet ~ The Prestige Jazz Quartet

Satin Doll ~ Duke Ellington & His Orchestra

Live at Douglas Beach House 1976 ~ Blue Mitchell

Bossa Nova Lounge: Look to the Sky ~ Various Artists

Oriduru ~ You Yan

Piu Simile a Me ~ Paolo Martella

Le Reveil ~ Koma

Magic in Your Eyes ~ Tommy February