d  i  s  s  i  d  e  n  t

a r t i s t : Cul de Sac
t i t l e : Immortality Lessons
d a t e : 2002
l a b e l : strange attractors
g e n r e : Lo-Fi
r l s.  d a t e : Aug-01-2002
t r a c k s : 09
b i t r a t e : 192kbps
s i z e : 73,1 MB

Cul de Sac
Immortality Lessons
SAAH007 CD Only
Release Date: May 7, 2002

"This is the only thing we've recorded live where pretty much
everything came together. We think it representative of
whatever it is we do." --Glenn Jones, Immortality Lessons liner
notes

Anyone even remotely hovering the periphery of the independent
avant rock/psyche/experimental underground should be well aware
of Cul de Sac. First
blazing into the stratosphere with ECIM in 1992
(Northeastern/Rough Trade), Cul de Sac quickly drew universal
praise for its' heady bricolage of 60's psychedelia, Krautrock
grooves, surf guitar trajectories, electronic washes, American
folk influences and Middle Eastern trance. Cul de Sac have
since released four classic albums for Thirsty Ear/Flying
Nun/Nuf Sed and a slew of 7" singles. For their first release
in three years, Strange Attractors mines the vaults and
unearths a stupendous diamond in the rough, the cosmically
happy "accident", Immortality Lessons.

Planetary alignment must have been underway in the cosmos that
day, for Immortality Lessons congeals a seriously magical
performance under the weight of some unflattering technical
odds. Captured live in a tiny studio on WBRS radio one
afternoon in 1999, what seemed like everything gone wrong (as
detailed in Glenn Jones' liner notes) resulted in a performance
of the ages. Immortality Lessons documents a fantastic Cul de
Sac set, one that finds their heady music moving along with
liquid grace, linking tune after tune into a brilliant suite of
sound. Featuring previously unreleased material plus reworked
and totally unique versions of a couple classic tunes,
Immortality Lessons billows forth in a flowing stream of
composition and improvisation, a bold and seamless display of
the very crux of Cul de Sac's elaborate, multi-hued soul.
"Etaoin Without Shrdlu" begins the excursion, swaying drunkenly
through electronics-laden Middle Eastern/surf mutations.
Blossoming like an iridescent lily hell-bent on life, it
eventually spills into the fabulous improv percussive pulse of
"Chasing Lint Particles in the Pale Moonlight" and the journey
is on, launching into the mysterious ether. The title track
"Immortality Lessons" is cause for celebration alone;
originally recorded with John Fahey during the sessions for the
infamous The Epiphany of Glenn Jones album (Thirsty Ear, 1997),
this fiery blast of molten psychedelia was omitted from the
album, surfacing here for the very first time. Tunes such as
the elegant "Flying Music From Faust", the subtle and pastoral
"Blues in E" and the manipulated field recording of "Liturgy"
have never been recorded before or since and are likely not to
be, existing solely via this release. Cul de Sac weave and bob
vigorously in a steady trajectory, creating a headstorm of
sound all across the musical map. Here the entire spectrum of
Cul de Sac's prism is on display, oscillating across the vast
expanse of their truly idiosyncratic instrumental psychedelic
avant-rock with dexterous ease.

Reminiscent of Cul de Sac's uber-classic live rehearsal
recording I Don't Want to Go to Bed yet benefiting from the
studio environment, Immortality Lessons is a special treat for
hardcore fans and new inductees alike. Given the fact that many
of the compositions were never recorded before or since and
only exist via this remarkable live document makes this
recording truly extra special. Immortality Lessons could be
considered a "lost" Cul de Sac album, unearthed for the delight
of old and new fans alike. What is certain: Immortality Lessons
is the consummate Cul de Sac performance. And that is cause for
celebration for the experimental rock underground.

(http://www.culdesac.org/)

http://www.strange-attractors.com/

01-Etaoin Without Shrdlu                                  [06:17]
02-Enhoft Down                                            [02:16]
03-Immortality Lessons                                    [04:59]
04-Tartarugas                                             [03:28]
05-Frozen in Fury on the Roof of the World                [06:42]
06-The Dragonfly's Bright Eye                             [10:32]
07-Liturgy                                                [03:11]
08-Flying Music from Faust                                [04:48]
09-Blues in E                                             [10:59]

53:12 min

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