Hungry Ghosts - Alone, Alone

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

---

Review

Hungry Ghosts are Calexico's Australian counterpart and combine Polynesian and Western sounds. Their sound is very sparse, introverted at times., and on 'Alone, Alone, their debut album, twang melts with subdued guitarplay. 'Alone, Alone' flirts with the sonic sounds of bands such as The Birthday Party but Hungry Ghosts also draw inspiration from gamelan music as well, and their quiet compositions secretly transform into hefty outbursts of acoustic guitar and violin play. After being invited by Steve Shelley to record in his studio in America, Hungry Ghosts came over and thankfully never lost the momentum of when they were first captured around Melbourne. "Alone, Alone' is a symphony consisting of three suites, entitled 'Before Then', 'Alone, Alone' and 'No Wake'. Tranquility is dominant even though the foundations of the house were shaking when I put this on very loud. It is an album of intriguing beauty. Despite song titles like 'Remember What It Was Like To Float (?)', 'Alone, Alone' is a combination of volume, timing and sonic vibration, and particularly in its partly Polynesian interludes its transcendental qualities become apparent. It has been on heavy rotation at home during the hot spells and summer doldrums, alternating with 'Hot Rail' by Calexico. It's instrumental, if you hadn't guessed. Not post rock, it comes closest to John Fahey covering Glen Branca and is recommended for the patient amongst us. I'm not sure what I'll think of this during the winter. As for now, think I'll play it once more. I can still vividly remember what it is like to float. The song titles may be a bit on the corny side,but the music most definitely relaxes and sets adrift the mind. It is like Mogwai with a heavy sunburn.

Track Listing:-

1 Back For More I Go
2 Trying To Lift A Rock With A Bottle On Your Head
3 Interlude
4 Reding Your Mail
5 No Prior Convictions
6 ( _ )
7 Alone Alone
8 I Don't Think About You Anymore But, I
9 Interlude
10 Float
11 Coma
12 Remember What It Was Like to Float (?)
13 Nothing Has To Happen
14 Interlude
15 ( ) blackout