Search - Gentlemen :: Transmissions

Generally Failed Experiment

Robert Carlberg | Seattle | 11/13/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"GWW were a studio concoction of three well-established producers/soundtrack composers: Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, Nick Glennie-Smith and Kenny Young. Coppersmith-Heaven had provided a stunning Balinese track "Pengosekan" for the 1982 Womad benefit compilation album MUSIC AND RHYTHM. The "gimmick" of TRANSMISSIONS is this: Fairlight sampling synthesizers had just become available, and GWW used one to sample all sorts of animal noises. The liner notes claim that all sounds on this disc, with the exception of the vocals, consisted of these animal samples, although it is not apparent... they mostly sound like typical 1980s factory presets, and cheesy ones at that.



Beside that, the lyrics to these songs are awfully lame expressions of budding environmental consciousness: "Earthling earthling look around you, see what, feel what on Earth surrounds you," "There's a hole in the ozone, what we gonna do about it, insecticide pesticide, whatcha gonna do about it?"



Either of these elements could have been positive aspects had they been better handled, but together they make this album a study in naive endurance."

Excellent album

Levi Vasquez | London, United Kingdom | 09/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD back in 1988, and if you were new to anything synthesizer and sampling then this recording was sure to blow you away.



Now in 2008, it does sound very late `80s' due to its environmental tones, but then again I guess their lyrics are ringing true today.



The overall sound to the album is very different to what you'd expect, with its original sequenced natural sounds via effects, it creates a colorful palette to get tucked into.



Great song structures and powerful production at volume, to a young teenager at the time this was just an eye opener instead of listening to the likes of The Top 40 every week. It was just so different!



I to this day I have a lot of respect to this album. The use of the Failrlight CMI is just outstanding, they manage to create the right atmosphere for each song. Some of the soundscapes and loops on natural sounds are just fantastic, reflecting on great programming and sheer dedication in getting this project finished.



It's quite a short album, but a pleasure to listen to closely.

"