Search - Larsen :: Rever

So good & scary

J. Holmes | yokohama, japan | 10/29/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"i'm not sure that i believe all the mysterious stories surrounding this Italian experimental band; but after hearing the Rever album...i want to believe! these songs are so mysterious and ominous that i can't help but have images of the band conducting strange little rituals while playing. Larsen is the answer to the questtion: what would it sound like if Sonic Youth was the house band on the island that The Wicker Man movie takes place? i especially like the way this album was recorded, the eerie whispered vocals are very closely mic'ed, giving the impression that these strange words are being spoken directly in your ear. and the buildup of chanting and droning gives it a very creepy, unsettling appeal."

Larsen: Rever

gristler | 06/23/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Larsen, from what I've heard, is an Italian band that corresponded with Michael Gira, of Swans and Angels of Light fame, for sometime before inviting him to their home country to record and produce this album. There is a little legend, that seems to be a little too ironic for me to accept at face value, that this band has concealed their identity from everyone, including Gira, and during the recording session they performed behind a screen to prevent themselves from being seen. Then there's some stuff about rituals, the occult and spoonfuls of dirt sent with their demo tapes, a lot of interesting information that can be found out on the Young God Record's web site.
As for the music itself, it's mostly instrumental, a-la Sonic Youth style dissonance, and soundscapes with deep, distorted base rumbles. The accordion creates a nice harmonic backdrop, and interspersed with the instrumentals are the occasional vocals, Gregorian-monk like chants, or a woman repeating words, coldly, over and over, in Italian. It appears that various recording sessions were spliced together, and the unexpected leaps in song structure are the most compelling point in the album. Over-all, decent experimental-progressive rock. Just about everything on Young God Records is worth looking into for fans of this style of music."