Ferrari, Luc – “Interrupteur / Tautologos 3” – [Blue Chopsticks]

Thurston Hunger   8/19/2016   A Library, CD

1999 re-issue of pieces from 1967 and 1970 respectively.
Each composition is carved up into segments for the CD
(or anxious DJ). Anxiety is at a premium on “Interrupteur”
hovering half-notes rising like steam, strings sawing
and lighter-than-air French Horn make up the soup,
percussion tumbles in at times then subsides, also a
trumpet occasionally hits like Batman and then rest. The drone is uneasy and the attacks
make the listener lurch even more. “Tautologos 3” (KFJC
has renditions of 1 and 2 on another album) sounds like
a game piece, set in motion by rules, and not without
its humor. Like the “Interrupteur” there are sudden
spasms of sound, but no soup this time, instead a
background series of instruments that sort of volume-pedal
in a note at a time, like sheep bleating. Segment two
starts with a gallop, the electric guitar though often
stops the fun like a frustrated substitute teacher. On
segment three, faux sirens clear the orchestra for a
spell, then build a see-saw before something like a
mazurka breaks out. But it jump cuts to bouncing
twinkly organs. Tape splice delights. All of this back
when attention spans were long and uncorrupted by
TV/internet and the fly buzzing aroud in your skull.
Two very different tonnes of 12 tone fun! -Hunger

On the life and death tip, this reissue was the birth of
David Grubbs’ “Blue Chopsticks” label and RIP Luc 8/22/2005