s w e e t b e a t s
june.19.2002 - #970
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artist : A Small Good Thing
album : Block
year : 1997
label : Leaf
genre : Lo-Fi
catalogue : BAY2CD
quality : CD 192k HQ True Stereo
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01.Cooling System 08:48
02.Baby Walker 07:38
03.Moving Heat Source 04:47
04.A Short History of Underlinen 04:20
05.The Horn 05:46
06.Essay on a Flat Stomach 02:31
07.Girl From Ici Plant 06:39
08.40 watt ovals 06:03
09.Air Traffic Controller 10:07
10.Hidden Track 03:22
10 tracks | 60:01 mins | 82,5 MB
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The genre hopping ASGT release what has to be their finest and most
accomplished work to date. Block sees them leaving behind their `Ry
Cooder on skunkweed'excursions for some serious funked updrifting
Dictaphone laden groove narra-tive, sort of John Barry and A
Certain Ratio meeting head on in a soundtrack for a low budget (but
bags of style) detective movie, Harry Palmer meets Raymond
Chandler. The cool flowing breezy keyboard intro suf-fused with a
lone trumpet on `Cooling System' sets the mood and pace for nine
chapters in the life of some-one you'll never meet but whose diary
you've read.The distant thunderstorm on `Moving Heat Source'soon
makes way for some clean brisk drum loops and weather system
percussion blowing its way to `The Horn' and a voice snatched from
the aether, providing the backdrop for some wonderfully bright
basslines.But don't despair its not all clean livin', Block has its
fair share of dirty treats and there are moments of raw genius
here. On first listening it appears straightfor-ward enough,
but press the endless repeat function on your CD player and it
gradually seeps into your psyche and like the stunning artwork that
wraps this release up there are hidden storylines inside just
waiting to be discovered. Block is like nothing else you'll hear
this year. Fresh and up but with a sting in its tail.
--Robert H.King (Variant issue 4, 1997)
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s w e e t b e a t s
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greetings to kw, diss, dps, dh, ms, tr & ube
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