OFF: Farflung MP3's

[Jon Jarrett]

On Wed, 14 Nov 2001, Nick Medford wrote:

> On Fri, 9 Nov 2001 04:09:42 -0500, K Henderson <henderson.120 at OSU.EDU>
> wrote:
>
> >can be found here....
> >
> >http://www.krautrocknet.com/autobahn/mp3autobahn3.htm

> I'd never heard of Farflung before I joined this list. After seeing them
> mentioned repeatedly I checked out some MP3's on mp3.com and was
> sufficiently impressed to hunt down a copy of "So Many Minds.." which
> finally arrived a few days ago. It's excellent, a high-power fusion of
> krautrock rhythms and Sabbath-style rifferama, definitely the rawer end of
> the spacerock spectrum.  Two minor gripes: their cover of "Future Days"
> isn't up to much IMHO - surprised they chose that one, it doesn't really
> suit their style- I can imagine them doing "Yoo Doo Right" -although
> everyone does that one I guess- or maybe "Full Moon On The Highway". But
> tamper with the classics at your peril, oh ye who are young and headstrong.
> The other criticism - why do they insist on having the vocals so low down
> in the mix? It's not a bad little gimmick at first but on the more song-
> based pieces it seems a waste to have barely audible vox, especially when
> the lyrics are not bad (high praise from me) in a weird space UFO mythology
> kind of way.

        The one piece of Farflung I don't have, that disk, a collection of
bits but still, it would seem, quite good. I think Tommy has his vocals
low down in the mix because he can't sing, personally, but that my be
harsh. I don't think their stuff is supposed to be vocals-led and Tommy's
voice really isn't strong enough to carry it if it were. But he can do
low growling horromovie menace well enough :-)

> Anyway, griping aside, it's an excellent CD. "Raven That Ate The Moon" is
> stunning in its full-length form: I'd only heard a truncated 4 minute MP3
> before. And "Mother Orbis" is some of the best space/kraut jamming I've
> heard. Do they ever play in the UK?

        Never so far, to my knowledge, though I believe Anubian Lights
have done club dates in Germany?

> Also, whenever FF are mentioned here, people who like them make reference
> to some 25 minute track that should be avoided at all costs. This of course
> makes me want to hear it. What is it and why does it fill you all with
> horror?

        Ah... that (I seem to remember somebody explained this but I'll do
it again anyway) is a hidden track on the end of the _The Raven That Ate
The Moon_ album. It is a tinny circus-music like synth loop (I think it's
a loop; I *hope* it's a loop, it would be terrible to think someone
actually played that for twenty-five minutes, but on the other hand I've
never quite worked out where the loop is, it seems to vary
slightly... ) overlaid with occasional space guitar noise. It has, um, no
apparent merit. As a fade-out it wouldn't be bad but twenty-five minutes
is a long fade-out.

        In the band's defence, that may never have been intended to be
there; the mastering and pressing were done almost without band input
which is why anyone who has that album is faced with four indexed tracks,
six track titles on the sleeve, and references in the credits to tracks 7
& 8 without titles for them. I did once mail the then-bass player, Buck
McGibbony to find out what the hell went on with it but he wouldn't tell
me how it was supposed to be.

        Which brings me to my own question: who is Farflung now? The
line-up on the live CD-R has me confused. Genas and Gammaknife I can
place, except that I thought Gammaknife was Brandon la Belle and one
Brandon is also listed... and who are Scott and Dix? What happened to
Michael Esther? Who plays what in the new ensemble? And what's the line-up
on _Myth of Solid Ground_? Or indeed today? Doug, you know this kind of
thing... Yours,
                Jon

--
"I recognise that I have transgressed many of the precepts of the divine
law, and that I am subjected by various vices and iniquities, disobedient
to the words of the divine mystery brought unto me and a worshipper of the
delights of this military age." Marquis Borrell of Barcelona, 955 A.D.

             (Jonathan Jarrett, Birkbeck College London)