OK, what to do with this one I ask? Composer Robert Iolini has put together a rather bizarre recording here, one that I'll admit I really don't know what to make of or how to take. Progressive music takes many shapes, and usually acts that tend to stray far to the outer realms get lumped with the avant-garde tag. I'm not sure Songs From Hurt can even be called avant-garde, let along progressive rock. Lots of spoken word stuff here, electronics, and samples, giving the whole piece a "talk radio broadcast" with musical accompaniment, or even musical documentary feel. At some points there is some savage, King Crimson-like guitar work, but the commentary is rather distracting and takes away from fully enjoying the music, what little there is of it. Basically, I'm not sure who the audience is for something like this, and like Chris Cutler's latest, there's just nothing to warrant a repeated listen here. In video form, this might make for an interesting documentary without the music, but in this CD format, it's just as hard to follow along with the story as it is to follow along with the music. Both just clash too much with each other and it makes for an aggravating experience. Pass.
Track Listing
1) Silent Motion (18:00)
Songs From Hurt
2) Lines on Face (2:11)
3) Exiled (2:09)
4) Boy Fire Police (3:02)
5) Girl Boxer Father (2:46)
6) Drug Murder (2:20)
7) Mum Beats Son (2:46)
8) Mum Dad Strangle (2:34)
9) Black Sheep (22:31)
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