Gongtrain – “Secret Museum of Kind Men – Vol. 1″ – [Casual Acid Tea]

Rarely does a killer idea get exceeded by its execution, but Matthew
Clark’s notion of taking two inspiring tracks from the old yet essential
“Secret Museum of Mankind” collections completely nails it. Side A’s
“Kaike Ena Sholio” explores a Rembetickle in the ear and explodes it
into something akin to Espers or Steven R. Smith spending a night
in the Sun City Girls opium den. The arrangement is faithful (if
you are keeping score, track 13 of collection #2.) The drums give
it a lot more heft, and the pace lopes like day-glo camel, while
Odeya Nini’s voice crests over it all. She returns with rising
haunted vocals on the flip side, elevating over a carpet of
guitar bristle. Feels like a lost ceremony dedicated to sustained
suspense. No culminating release, just this journey uphill to a
Jodorowky sun. This is a take on “Ise-No-Umi” (track 13 of coll.
#1, hmmm is there a triskaidekaphile at work here?) Holy crap, just
went back and re-listened to the original by Imperial Household
Orchestra and wow is that sublime. That’s the power of this fantastic
release, it beams beautifully on its own, but it reflects us back
to some other great music. On the 7″, Greek gets the Gold and Japan
a sterling Silver. (Reverse those in the originals). Either way, highest
praise and hopes for more in this series (and more from that mighty
Nini as well). Not sure if the band is called Gongtrain, but we’ll
go with that, track this down by the genius title of the 7″. And
keep them volumes coming!

-Thurston Hunger