ARTHUR BROWN: ZIM ZAM ZIM (2014)
1) Zim Zam Zim; 2) Want To
Love; 3) Jungle Fever; 4) The Unknown; 5) Assun; 6) Muscle Of Love; 7) Junkyard
King; 8) Light Your Light; 9) Touched By All; 10) The Formless Depths.
One thing at least we know: as of the 2010s,
Arthur Brown remains remembered and admired enough to successfully conduct a
crowdfunding pledge campaign in order to raise the money for his next album. A
very nice thing to know — especially considering that the album itself, despite
having been recorded and issued as promised, has probably received 1,000,000th
share of attention compared to any recent release by any of the day's moronic
«superstars». Yes, Arthur Brown has been relegated to the top back shelves of
the musical world, but as long as he has a small bunch of people offering
support, this will not prevent him from putting out good art.
Once again credited to The Crazy (rather than
The Amazing) World of Arthur Brown, Zim Zam
Zim continues Arthur's surprisingly consistent streak of records that
nobody ever listens to. In fact, it might even be his most consistent set of tunes in the 21st century — no mean feat for
a 72-year old guy. The fact that he's been so crazy and isolated all these
years actually helps, because the songs, once again, are timeless, paying no
heed whatsoever to any modern developments (he does mention his iPod in one
song, but then even Steve Jobs invented the iPod so that he could put himself
some Bob Dylan and some Bach on it), and all for the better.
The title of the album already suggests a
phantasmagoric circus experience (the normal way of life for Arthur Brown, that
is), as does the eerie album cover, as does the opening track with its grumbly
brass fanfares, deep harmonies, and booming message by the maniacal herald
himself. Apparently, Zim Zam Zim is
a state of being that preceded even The Big Bang, to which we are being invited
or, at the very least, of which we are going to be informed. Big news for most
people, table talk for Mr. Brown.
However, if you think that the album is going
to be wildly psychedelic and ultra-other-worldly-dimensional, that is not the
case. All the songs are a little whacky as far as Arthur's singing is
concerned, and many of the tracks feature unconventional arrangements, but the
chief point here, I think, was on integrating a wide variety of different
styles — to put it philosophically, explore the amazing diversity of forms
postdating the solitary state of Zim Zam
Zim. "In my heart all forms of life are joined", quoth Mr. Brown,
and that includes such forms of musical life as ska, rumba, blues, folk, rock,
jazz, and noise. Above all of that, his voice still rings out loud and clear, and
it can be sentimental, aggressive, or just plain crazy whenever he wants — and
he sure as hell don't sound like a 72-year old. Must be all these mystical mushrooms.
Melodically, most of the tunes are fairly
traditional, but it helps makes them more memorable, and then there are all the
different angles. ʽWant To Loveʼ has a basic ska bounce to it, bu the
percussion sounds like the Nibelung anvils, and the brass, strings, and
accordeon cobwebs in the background are quite a wond'rous combination. ʽJungle
Feverʼ is a minimalistic boogie-blues piece that echoes back to John Lee
Hooker, but the guitar is processed in a way that makes it sound closer to a Jew's
harp, and the accompanying wildlife sounds truly give the impression of a crazy
old man lost in the jungle, strumming his instrument and going more and more
ga-ga with each passing moment. ʽThe Unknownʼ sounds like a long-lost outtake
from Tom Waits' Rain Dogs (Brown
even gets a credible rasp-and-gurgle going for the chorus, although he probably
has to live for 72 more years to catch up with Mr. Tom), but far more densely
arranged (background vocals, whistles, very busy and melodic piano line, etc.).
If you are on the lookout for a good strong
punch, ʽMuscle Of Loveʼ offers an opportunity — nothing to do with the Alice
Cooper song or album of the same name, in particulars, but just as dark,
sarcastic, and glammy as Alice at his most theatrical. The chorus ("don't
wear no hat, don't wear no gloves, all you wear is your muscle of love") should
probably have a sexual interpretation (Brown's Tantric practices are never
obsolete), but it is the song's nagging brass riff that offers the most sexual
imagery of it all — and the track's complex, sense-thrashing, somewhat
jungle-like percussion arrangement heats things up even further.
There are occasional moments of heartwarming
beauty (ʽLight Your Lightʼ), occasional moments of surprising musical
complexity, hearkening back to the old Journey days (ʽTouched By Allʼ), and a
chaotic, percussion-wild conclusion (ʽThe Formless Depthsʼ) that might,
perhaps, have been more formally impressive with a larger budget, but even so,
it is curious to learn how one may paint the be-all-end-all state of the universe
with nothing but tribal percussion, a little electronic grunting, and some
primeval yodeling. I probably wouldn't have imagined it like that myself, but I
do tip my hat to the effort — and to the album in general, which really gets the
easiest thumbs
up I remember giving to Brown since Requiem. Highly recommended if you can find it, and reason enough,
I guess, to keep sending in those pledges as long as the old «muscle of love»
still retains a modicum of potential energy.
you really should give ariel pink a chance
ReplyDeleteHe really is doing something right--if nothing else, he knows how to work a microphone and sound booth to maximize his voice. As far as sexual energy, I don't think there's a song on here that DOESN'T have a prurient angle. But he's such a wacko--and more importantly KNOWS that he's a wacko--that at worst it's a little creepy, but the fun factor kind of balances it out.
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