march 2nd extract-karen cooper complex

Karen Cooper Complex-Ruckus Upstairs-Shinjuku Boardwalk

I think this album is from Japan; it at least has some aspect of Japan in there, some connection with Japan. Not sure why I think that-I have a vague recollection that the sleeve had some Japanese characters on it. (By Japanese characters I mean writing/typography rather than two blokes from Tokyo.) Come what may, it’s a strange thing. The singer, and I use that term cautiously, actually doesn’t sound Japanese-there’s an odd American twang to her performance. I cannot remember where I got this from, or even when it was released. I’ve a feeling that it was recent but it’s hard to tell.

What does it sound like? Nothing you’ve ever heard before probably.

Imagine if you will.

Imagine that there are a group of people. I am assuming that it is a group of people rather than one lone artistic visionary but I may be wrong. This assumption is made on the basis that numerous musical instruments are played on this album. (Played is too strong a word-hit/struck would be more apt.) Imagine that this group of people have very rarely heard music. Actually imagine that they have never heard music and only know of it as a concept. They may have heard of it, or read about it. They know that music exists but only as “music”. Furthermore, they understand or just have a faint understanding, that music is made by manipulating objects called “instruments”. That’s a start.

Imagine therefore that they have gained access to a recording studio somewhere in the back of Japan. Additionally, some crazed person has allowed them free reign in a music shop where they have been allowed to borrow as many instruments as possible. Maybe they’ve not borrowed them, but conducted a smash and grab raid under some complex guise. That makes a lot more sense. Whichever way it was done, the instruments will have been chosen at random, largely on the basis that they are noisy, shiny, look complicated and are big. Once inside the studio with their instruments they are allowed access to a bored, stoned, studio engineer who isn’t bothered what racket they make as long as he gets paid. You may think he should be bemused but he really just isn’t arsed-he’s seen it all before, from big-hair heavy metal bands to colliery brass bands (in Japan?) to x- factor wannabes. In any event they’ve only booked the engineer for 45 minutes and therefore everything has to be recorded in one take. The thing is, they are intensely curious about this music thing and when shown a cd they assume it’s another instrument. They are desperate to make music. When they can hear themselves played back over the studio monitors they are startled, even frightened.  Nevertheless, they overcome their fear, with a mixture of exotic drugs, bravado and willingness to hit every single instrument as hard as possible all at the same time. Microphone technique leaves a bit to be desired as well, but they give it a go. Their hour of studio time used up they head off into the night-didn’t I say they recorded this at 3 a.m.?-with a master tape that they have no idea of what it’s for.

Imagine that. Doesn’t it sound like the best album you’ve never heard yet?