A couple November releases from MuteAnt Sounds caught my attention this past weekend, and I’m not sure they could be any more different from each other. Normally when I check out a MuteAnt release I brace myself for some harsh or odd sounds I might hear; this is based on my listening experience but, I mean, their website header clearly says “Noise Netlabel” so there’s that too.
Before I dipped into “Heath” by saneLIV I read the description of the release (which includes a sarcastic explanation that includes the phrase “bearded paunchy fringe socialists”) and started to look over the song titles. Track one is called “I Have Cancer Blues,” and that rolls into the second song, “They So Remind Me of Barbie and Ken, Why Do I FRIGHTEN THEM.” So, yeah, I think I’m going to get some dark humor and noise, or maybe a total goof on hipsters with “old-time 78s.”
Sure, some of the song titles are funny and the production is purposely lo-fi and the playing old-timey. But for the most part this is an album stuffed with what are fairly straight ahead blues guitar or piano instrumentals. Specifically in the vein of old-timey, “Montana Taylor’s Sweet Sue” shows off some excellent roller rink organ. And dare I say it? The piano workout that is “Golden Drop Waltz and Girl I Left Behind” is actually pretty. There’s even some Bach here, for God’s sake. It all adds up to a great collection; get thee to the Heath and marvel.
So now I don’t know what to expect when I start listening to “streets of tomorrow” by The Dizzy Scouts. Anthemic rock? Indie pop? As it turns out, we’re back to the noise. This album is a tasty thick stew of instruments and noises (some clearly identifiable, some not), with mostly slower tempos and a lot of layers to savor in each song. Have fun picking out instruments and sounds – tuba, accordion, violin, cheap electronics, and (I think) tin cans all make appearances.
There were a couple standout songs for me. “March of the Incongruence,” is a track that includes some echoing vocals, tapes and sax, all coming on slow and thick. It could almost be early Cabaret Voltaire on downers. Meanwhile, “Wrong Twice,” like “March…,” is a longer track that allows you to get a bit lost in it. This one features lots of violins and clanging with a slight Eastern music feel.
Whatever your musical preferences you won’t be wrong twice checking out these two albums. But I predict you’ll like both. Vive la différence.