Search - John Zorn :: Moonchild

Zorn returns to an exploration of hardcore.

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 05/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the liner notes, John Zorn states that "Moonchild" is the first realization of a project comibning composition and improvisation in a rock format-- Zorn communicated his compositions and ideas orally to the trio-- vocalist Mike Patton, bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Joey Baron. The resulting record is one of deep tension and highly evocative mood, somewhat like a fusion of "Torture Garden" or "Leng T'che" and "I.A.O.".



Zorn seems most enamored on these recordings with the establishment of mood, whether it be by taking advantage of the high volume levels to fill space (opener "Hellfire") or using the spareseness of the instrumentation to create a minimalist environment ("The Summoning")-- either way, all serve to create a tension that never finds release. Each of the musicians fill their roll admirably. Baron is at times explosive and fierce ("The Sorceress"), at times free and expressive and at times minimalist in his approach. Dunn is probably the most impressive, fulfilling the rhythmic role that both a guitar and a bass typically do in rock music and providing a vast array of sounds, whether performing clean-tone or distorted, pulsing, dancing, weaving and maintaining the framework on which Patton can do his thing. And his thing is a stunning array of frantic shouts, moans, yells, whispers and a bizarre method of syllabic speech that never quite forms words but sounds familiar.



The album works best as a whole-- moving between sounds and ideas, from a wall of pulsing chordal bass and throbbing drums with Patton screaming bloody murder ("Hellfire") to Patton chanting and rambling in double-time over the rhythm section ("Abraxis"), patient riffing and upper register longtones over tense drum work ("Possession"), slow burn bass and tribal drumming with syllabic speech vocalizations ("Moonchild") and just about everything in between. The album is at times fierce, at times patient, and always demanding of the attention of the listener.



"Moonchild" is an album of mood, of tension, of darkness and evocation-- it doesn't stray far from this territory throughout. Nonetheless, it's a highly intriguing record, and the performers execute fantastically. Highly recommended."

Zorn release #22939488282 shows signs of a pattern forming..

S. Flask | the Pequod | 09/08/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"if you've been a fan of zorn's stuff for a while now, and have had this creeping feeling as of late that he seems to be releasing everything but recordings of his own farts, this record isn't going to do anything to boost your confidence.



another release that talks about how highly artistic it is, yet seems to have very little soul. very little that makes you want to come back for more. what's on here is interesting - and sometimes quite good - but honestly there aren't many 'sparks' to be found here. in ten years nobody's going to list this as a zorn classic, that's for sure.



i love zorn, and really like some of the far out stuff he's done in the past - be it in the realm of jazz, ambient, chamber, etc. but i'm starting to get the feeling that he's creating albums to fulfill some type of experimental checklist in his mind rather than follow his musical intuition. and in the process he's recently put out more than his share of "interesting but not captivating" albums. here's another one. i'm becoming very skeptical of tzadik releases as a result, which is unfortunate.



this is of cursory interest by zorn standards, heavy metal standards, experimental standards, and so on. you're much better off exploring his better works - there are a lot of them."

Zorn's Triumphant Return to Loud Music

G | Connecticut, USA | 08/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Zorn, previous to this release, and his Masada days, was quite keen on the whole "noise" thing. Back in the eighties, he lead a band called "Naked City" which released five dynamic, explosive albums, most of which contained songs under a minute long. These cuts were made up of high-pitched alto sax wailing, screaming guitar riffs, and powerhouse drumming. Especially for the 80s, this was very progressive, unique music. When the band broke up in the early 90s, Zorn began composing more serious music, and began his incredible "Film Series", a continuously growing collection of his film scores.



When Moonchild came out, it was a surprise to most John Zorn fans, but it signaled a return to what used to be his absolute speciality. Zorn has been quoted explaining the significance of metal/hardcore music, and how he will die trying to understand how those musicians experss themselves. "Moonchild" is an incredible, dynamic exploration of this type of expression.



"Moonchild" is comprised of a drums, bass (with lots of effects), and voice trio. The vocalist is none other than Mike Patton, one of the absolute most talented singers of the present era. His post-modern compositions, incredible octave range, and hauntingly strange sounds that he can make with his voice, make him one of the most unique artists of today. His performance on this release is absolutely outstanding - full of fury, weirdness, and pure emotion. There is lots of screaming (musical screaming, that is) as well as coughing, low-pitched chanting, and nonsensical rambling. Mike Patton deserves many acolades for this performance, as he impressively sets a strange, ambient mood for the listener to enjoy.



The other musicians enhance the experience even further. Much of the music was improvisational, so to see these two working at it with such spine and formality was an incredible surprise to me. But the music simply worked - it perfectly complients the insanity held behind Patton's vocals.



This is the kind of album which is just crying to be heard - hear it any way you can, but if you ever have the chance to sit in a dimly-lit room with your eyes closed, simply listening to this album, I can guarantee you that you will walk out of that experience with a smile on your face and a great feeling of gratification, as if you had just experienced a contemporary art masterpiece. And that is truly what this album is - a contemporary masterpiece. But hey - what did you expect from John Zorn? He takes all of his music, especially his noise/metal/hardcore music, VERY seriously. He doesn't just copy what other similar musicians do - he continues to innovate and make music which simply is so unique that it holds the door open for NOBODY ELSE when it is released.



This may not be the perfect introduction to John Zorn's music for newcomers, but then again, what is? His music has spanned from "thrash jazz" to chamber orchestral pieces. If you want to hear the new face of metal from John Zorn, however, this is the album to check out. HIGHLY recommended!"