Cooperation Transatlantic Collaboration Review

[Mark <sine@zerocrossing.net>]

Hey,

A while ago one of the list members sent out some CDs to the first 5
people who responded to his email.  The catch was we had to review the
CD.  So here is my review.


Cooperation Transatlantic Collaboration
by
David Cooper (Orton UK)
James Sidlo (US)

My very first impression upon putting this CD in my player was that the
sound was nice and lush.  Reminiscent of Brian Eno's Apollo Soundscapes
album.  The first 7 songs are down tempo, ambient, languid and
beautiful.  I have one complaint though.  They seem way too short.  To
me, it seems like a really good musical idea starts to develop and then
it's over.  I'd like to see that 7 songs turn into 3 longer pieces that
somehow develop more.  Set that feedback to 50% and keep it going! 
These guys obviously have a lot of musical ideas, and are great players,
I just don't think they should be afraid to stretch out a bit,
especially with the genera of ambient.

Maybe it's because this album was done by mailing tapes across the
Atlantic and the musicians were not together during the recording of
this disc.  I didn't realize this until mid way through the album, but
upon reading this I thought, "Oh of course."  I think it kind of shows. 
There's a certain chemistry and magic that happens when two or more
people start playing in the same room together.  That development of an
idea, by two people improvising at the same time, is what is missing
from this disc.

Starting with the eighth song, "There And Back And There Again" They
start doing pieces that include electronic percussion and sequencers.  I
thought the percussion sounded a bit stiff and out of place for this
song and the next tune "East Of Ealing."  They sound a bit sterile and
harsh compared to the other instrumentation.  Maybe a trip through a
nice tube pre amp and a little good reverb would help the tonality so
the drum machine blends in with the lush and warm guitar sounds.  These
two pieces seem to be mostly sequencer. It's just my personal taste, but
I like a lot more of a blend of computer based and acoustic based
instruments in music.  They totally reach success in track 10 "Between
Breaks"  Nice drum and bass loops going under really nice inspired
guitar/bass loops.  One of my favorite tracks on the album.

Tracks 11 and 12 "Re: Cooperation Parts One and Two" are taking loops
from previous pieces and adding new instruments and
purcussion/drummachine on them.  If I were producing this album, I would
have had these tracks blend with their earlier incarnations for more
sonic verity in one piece.  Again, that's they way *I* like it.

Track 13 "Texas Trees" begins another really sweet track.  A nice chimey
down tempo composition that blends acoustic and electric guitars.... but
WHERE DID IT GO?  At a minute and a half, just when I'm getting into it,
it quickly fades out and the next song begins.  Musicus inturruptus.

Same holds true for track 14 "Never Enough Part One".  There wasn't
enough of this song.  Seemed like an intro to the next song.  Again, a
*really* good intro, but I wouldn't call it a fully realized musical
idea of it's own.

Some nice upbeat drums begin track 15 "Never Enough Part Two", but they
sound a bit dry and out of place next to the lush reverb drenched
guitars that flow on top of it.  Again, this song ends as soon as it
gets going.  Why?  GIVE ME MORE! IT'S NEVER ENOUGH!

So, while it seems like I may be trashing this disc, I don't mean to
be.  However, the idea "leave them wanting more" is just frustrating to
me.  This disc is full of great loops, lush instrumentation (although a
bit dry and stiff sounding percussion in places) cool musical ideas and
great performances.  The best analogy I can think of for this album is
it's like having the phone ring right before you're about to orgasm. 
It's your mother and she's yelling at you because you don't do enough. 
Mood breaker.  You get going again, then she calls again telling you
that she forgot to tell you a relative died.  Anyway, you get the
picture.  While some may say these pieces are short and sweet, I say
they are never enough.

Mark Sottilaro