PLAY
Infrasonic Press, 2023
8/10
The Buffalo collective Wooden Cities made quite an impression with their debut 4 years ago, and this follow up certainly continues their experimental vision that revolves around the Baltimore composer Will Redman’s graphic score, as well as spoken word.
Redman’s “Book: Wooden Cities” opens the listen with Nicholas Emmanuel’s unpredictable keys alongside the squealing strings of Evan Courtin’s violin and cello from T.J. Borden and Katie Weissman for the atypical chamber setting, and Kurt Schwitters’ “Ribble Bobble Pimlico” follows with swift vocal acrobatics in the uniquely rhythmic linguistics that don’t use instruments.
Redman’s work lands in the middle and end, as well, where Megan Kyle’s atmospheric oboe and Brendan Fitzgerald’s well timed guitar make for minimal versus hectic moments, and the final spoken piece, Evan Courtin’s “Good Form”, has Courtin, Fitzgerald and Ethan Hayden using repetition strategically with the layered voices executed via a mesmerizing tactic.
The musical portion here is highly expressive in an avant-garde sort of fashion, and the spoken pieces range from whispers to chants to nonsensical talk. Certainly impossible to classify, the sound poetry and iconoclastic chamber mashing present is positively interesting.
Travels well with: The Evolution Of The Arm- Sounds Like; Jeff Stadelman- Signaling