CONTRAPHONIC

Son of a Gun shoots on...

The plaudits keep on coming for last year's Martin Bisi "Son of a Gun" ep. Check out the kind words from:

Alt.Sounds

Hour

Now Toronto

Posted in Martin Bisi Press - Posted on Thu 2nd September 2010 6.58PM No comments.

All About Jazz review for Rosaly

More kudos for Frank Rosaly's "Milkwork" lp, this time courtesy of All About Jazz New York. As part of a larger review, write Seth Watter notes:

"Rosaly, a popular Chicago drummer, weighs in with nine open-form compositions that linger in the mind and beckon for repeated listens on this LP-only release. The ample use of electronic manipulation gives Milkwork an initial distancing effect, a distinct feeling of unfamiliarity. From the first rumbles of “Adolescents”, the mic’d drums sound smothered in t- shirts, strangely clipped. “Burnshine” filters a quiet pitter-patter through an echo device for the sensation of double-time often found in dub; on “NY Prices!” drones emerge like foghorns in the night air as traditional percussion disappears almost entirely. But listeners will be immediately drawn to the first “NY Prices”, an epic workout which builds rolling lines from the rims into a muscular, bombastic rhythm heavy on the kick drum and crashing cymbals while the snare marches along like ants on the warpath. The generous interludes of silence only further underscore Rosaly’s clever and strategic use of acoustic space."

Pick up the current issue of All About Jazz for more!

Posted in Roses for Rosaly - Posted on Mon 12th July 2010 9.19PM No comments.

Pittsburgh Loves Bisi

Martin Bisi and crew just ended a successful jaunt through the MidWest. The press folks in Pittsburgh were particularly kind.

Check out the interview with
Pittsburgh New Music Net

Posted in Martin Bisi Press - Posted on Wed 5th May 2010 8.50PM No comments.

Signal to Noise Review for MILKWORK

The latest issue of the encyclopedic Signal to Noise magazine takes a good listen to MILKWORK. Here's what writer Bill Meyer had to say:

"The day that Frank Rosaly began recording Milkwork, he woke late, got stuck in traffic, and tried to rescue a kitten that got thrown out a car window and took refuge in his engine only to learn that the no-kill shelter sends kitties to the pound. Nope, not a good day- and you can really hear Rosaly blowing off some steam with the heavy wallop you hear "NY Prices!"Quite different are the focused, carefully modulated cymbal figures that follow on "Calcetines," and the confused-clock rhythmic variations and elusive electronic washes that punctuate "Burnshine." This may be a solo percussion record, but not one of drum solos. The sound world he works in lies closer to This Heat or Xenakis than the jazz and improv he practices with Rolldown, Valentine Trio, or pianist Paul Giallorenzo's group. And it's testament to his grace under pressure that he executes this music with as much clarity and precision as force. A feline aside: my cat is usually completely uncurious about music, but when I spun Milkwork's milky white vinyl prior to writing this review, he stuck his head into the stereo cabinet for the first time ever."

Posted in Roses for Rosaly - Posted on Sat 27th March 2010 7.56AM No comments.

More love from BoingBoing.net for Pronto!

Xeni Jardin of BoingBoing.net lets us in on her recent visit to Amoeba Records in Los Angeles, CA. Some clarification is needed however: the Pronto record she’s describing is “The Cheetah,” the "glitchy, computery one" available in digital glory now, while the record she’s holding is “All Is Golden,” the acclaimed 70's style-release available both digitally and in CD form.

Get 'em both in your bag now!

Posted in Pronto Press - Posted on Mon 8th March 2010 7.56PM No comments.