White Out With Jim O'Rourke And Thurston Moore - Senso

  by Jon Rogers

published: 24 / 10 / 2009

Label: Ecstatic Peace
Format: CD

intro

Occasionally gruelling, but ultimately riveting latest album from improvisational New York-based act White Out, which includes contributions from Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth

The nucleus of New York’s improvisational White Out are the duo of LinCulbertson and Tom Surgal who met at a Big Black gig at the now defunct CBGBs. Which will tell you something of their heritage. The pair draw on the more esoteric styles that, largely, grew out of the city like No Wave and Noise Rock as well Free Jazz and contemporary classicists like Iannis Xenakis. The double album – which features just one track per disc – mixes this all up and sees the pair joined by Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and famed instrumentalist (and one time Sonic Youth member) Jim O’Rourke. Surgal and Culbertson have also worked with some big names too, like the acclaimed percussionist William Winant on their 2005 CD ‘China is Near’. The two tracks featured here – ‘Fear of Fear (of Fear) and ‘The Eyes The Mouth’ – stem from a live recording at the Tonic Club in 2004 and see the group on fine form. What hits home is the sheer mobility of it all, the playing is never static or repetitive, always remaining fluid but never strays out of focus. Admittedly it does get rather hazy at times (but improvisation has that tendency) and there is a certain amount of ebb and flow but it never loses sight of its goals and keeps up interest. Admittedly towards the end of ‘The Eyes The Mouth’ listening to ‘Senso’ can feel like the aural equivalent of running a marathon at full speed, a gruelling, tiring experience and you might have to battle out the last remaining minutes but it can prove to be a rewarding experience and one that you, ultimately, are glad you undertook.

Track Listing:-