zeitkratzer: Releases Reviews: Metal Machine Music

Lou Reed: Metal Machine Music performed by zeitkratzer - Reviews

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Few records investigate the concept of “noise” more intelligently than this one.
(The Sunday Times, UK, Robert Sandall, Sept 9/2007)
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Played by a live group, “Metal Machine Music” sounds even wilder and more frenetic, and Zeitkratzer’s act of fandom — countless work-hours involved in transcribing and orchestrating — moves “Metal Machine Music” into a context where, perhaps, it always belonged: as an avant-garde piece of bristling minimalism rather than a rock musician’s bizarre experiment.
(May 27, 2007 - New York Times)
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Une relecture effectivement volcanique
(Magic, F, Julian Welter, 10/2007)
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Die bislang spektakulärste Einspielung des längst weltweit gefeierten Ensembles. .. Eine kongeniale Neuinterpretation, auch weil sich hier Provokateure von heute einer Provokation von damals verschreiben.
(Die tageszeitung taz, Andreas Hartmann, 9/2007)
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…this live version is a wonderfull opportunity to get (re) acquainted with one of the most adventurous pieces ever composed by a major rock musician. As Reed stated on the original album “my week beats your year”.
(Vital Weekly, 9/2007)
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Zeitkratzer’s version has drawn praise from both the high-brow New York Times and hip indie-music websites like Pitchfork. … In other words, it’s a very different way for the musically adventurous to take a walk on the wild side.
(Deutsche Welle, Jefferson Chase, 12/2007)
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zeitkratzer humanizes Reed’s machines — hilarious
Blender, UK, 8/2007
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That Zeitkratzer could even conceive of transcribing Reed's original album in the first place almost defies belief. That they could take the score from there to a position where they could play it live is sheer genius.
musikOMH.com, UK, Jenni Cole, 9/2007
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this performance is exceptional and delivers a most unsettling but ultimately worthwhile experience. Not for the many but for those prepared to work as hard as the performers to understand the music it is truly rewarding.
(Music new.com, UK, 9/2007)
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Da öffnet sich „Metal Machine Music“ durch die zeitkratzer-Bearbeitung zur organischen Musikalität.
(Skug, AT, Heinrich Deisl, 10/2007)
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Zeitkratzer inszenieren MMM wie ein Feuerwerk: es zischt, kracht, orgelt, das Schlagwerk knallt trocken wie ein dicker Kracher. … Man surft auf dieser Musik. Fünf Jahre haben die Live-Aufnahmen gebraucht, ehe sie veröffentlicht werden konnten. Aber was sind fünf Jahre angesichts einer Musik, die auf Ewigkeit und Granzenlosigkeit hinaus will.
(StadtRevue Köln, Felix Klopotek, 9/2007)
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an avant-garde classical ensemble named Zeitkratzer decided that they were going to do the impossible by transcribing the chaotic Machine in its entirety. As if that wasn’t enough, they then performed it in front of a live audience in a single take. So impressed with their accomplishment, Lou Reed gave Zeitkratzer two very special things: his blessing ... and a new guitar solo.
PopMatters, UK, Evan Sawdey,10/2007
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In all honesty, I can say that you've probably never seen or heard anything quite like this. Leave aside your preconceptions of what you think music should be, and take a step into the new and dangerous by listening to Metal Machine Music as performed by the zeitkratzer ensemble and Reed live. You might just be in for a surprise and find you appreciate something new and exciting.
(BC Music UK, 9/2007)
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most extreme example of noise rock
(UK-Fusion, UK, Matthew Hirtes, 9/2007)
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This is refreshing and a lot more alive than you really have any right to expect it to be 32 years on, this really does work.
(Organ Magazine, US, 9/2007)
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The relentless sound forces the mind to put aside its preconceptions about what music is supposed to sound like, or feel like, or look like. The brain starts to implode, or explode, or dissolve Zen-like into the controlled chaos of the performance, discovering a strange exhilaration, accepting an invitation to explore the outer reaches of texture and timbre and experience a sonic freedom that's rare in any art form.
(New York, Downtown MusicGallery, 1/2008)
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Fort. Trop fort.
(RifRaf, Belgium, 10/2007)
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And the results ARE intriguing.
(BBC Experimental Review, UK, Chris Jones, 9/2007)
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Ces Allmands pas complètement fous ont dû se souvenir de l’avertissement de Lou Reed “quiconque est capable d’écouter ce disque jusqu’à la quatrième plage est encore plus malade que moi!”
Zeitkratzer nous permet d’entrevoir ce que Lou Reed avait en tête lors de l’enregistrement de cette musique, mais que les moyens à sa disposition ainsi que la folie ne lui premirent pas d’exprimer.
(Popnews.com, Cyril Lacaud, 9/2007)
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Une relecture effectivement volcanique
(Magic, F, Julian Welter, 10/2007)
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Une dégustation au long court qui est grandement aidée par la vidéo du concert, qui permet de mieux appréhender l'oeuvre et de visualiser l'extraordinaire travail de l'ensemble Zeitkratzer. Un travail tout en brutalité qui pendant près de trois quarts d'heure souffle d'ardentes braises sonores avant de stopper net pour laisser place aux accords métalliques de Lou Reed et de terminer tous en coeur pour un final en apothéose.
Loin d'avoir constitué pour Lou Reed le disque d'une fin de carrière prématurée, Metal Machine Music s'érige, enfin, bien des années passées, en porte-étendard d'une musique sans concession et fondamentalement bruitiste sans pour autant renier ses élans rock qui furent à la base de sa composition. Un disque unique donc et le couronnement de Lou Reed en tant que compositeur contemporain. Un must dans le genre...
(Foutraque, F, DrBou, 9/2007)
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Yes, this is the sound of MMM, the legendary first noise album, the litmus test by which all musical patience has been measured, performed live as a modern composition. It truly works! So, is this necessary? Do you still need to own it? YES. ABSOLUTELY. I would go so far as to say this should be the neophyte’s introduction to MMM; perhaps from there further tastes in noise and avant-garde music will develop.
(Movement Music Reviews, US, Adam Naworal, 7/2007)
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… et l’on pourrait sans peine attributer à cette relecture de Metal Machine Music par zeitkratzer la petite phrase de Lester Bangs: “MMM est le plus grand album jamais enregistré dans l’histoire du tympan humain!”
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Pathetic! Sogar abgebrühten Krokodilen standen danach Begeisterungstränen in den Augen. Die Metal Machine Music bewährt sich als kratzbürstiger Wirbel extrem diskanter Dissonanzen. Keine Sekunder, die der „Musikliebhaber“ nicht gelernt hat, zu verabscheuen!
(Bad Alchemy, Rigobert Dittmann, 9/2007)
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The Zeitkratzer disc rightfully restores the focus to the music, which has proven to be in step with the 21st century's conflations of rock, noise, and the classical avant garde.
(The New York Sun, USA, Alan Licht, 8)
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Experiment dur, profound I fascinant!
(Avui, ES, 8/2007)
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Gran espectaculo de erizado minimalismo!
( Juan Manuel Freire)
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zeitkratzer haben “Metal Machine Music” ihre Bedeutung zurückgegeben …
(Spex, 9/2007)
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Feedback-Kakophonie von einst hier neu und mit klassischem Instrumentarium. Fast schon martialisch, auf jeden Fall krasser Scheiß.
(Intro 153, 9/2007)
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'Metal Machine Music' is the critic's ultimate nightmare.
(GetReadyToRock.com, US, Pete Feenstra, 10/2007)
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Eine kathartische Erfahrung!
(Groove, 9/2007)
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Zeitkratzer gelingt eine mikrotonale, frenetische Tour de Force, die nicht genug bestaunt werden kann.
(Bad Alchemy, 11/2007)
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… eine zur Komposition gewordene bekloppte Idee, realisiert und live umgesetzt, die in dieser Form vielleicht in den Kanon maßgeblischer zeitgenössischer Kompositionen des 20. bzw 21. Jahrhunderts eingehen wird.
(Jazzthetik, D, 9/2007)
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Das Berliner Großereignis
(Hessischer Rundfunk, HR2, 9/2007)
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So holt man sich Krieg ins Haus oder zerstört langjährige Freundschaften. … Übrig bleibt der reine, bloße Klang, der mehr Feinheit in sich trägt als sekundenschnelle Analysen aufweisen können. … Der Ursprung der Freiheit. Zeitkratzer kratzen daran.
(Plattentests, Markus Wollmann, 12/2007)
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Das außergewöhnliche Ereignis ist nun auf CD und DVD erhältlich. Was Streicher, Bläser und Perkussionen kreieren, erinnert an einen in die Länge gezogenen Autounfall. Der Moment des Aufpralls, das schneidende Geräusch von Blech, das zerknittert und zersplittert, nicht lediglich für den Bruchteil einer Sekunde, sondern 50 Minuten lang - so lässt sich der Klang beschreiben, der aus den Lautsprechern dröhnt.
(Laut, D, Giuliano Benassi, 9/2007)
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Eine weitere unglaubliche Leistung. Metal Machine Music bleibt Metal Machine Music – wird dabei aber noch frenetischer, orgiastischer …
(Magagin, D, S.Krutzinna, 10/2007)
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Ein Unterfangen so aberwitzig wie unterhaltend und belehrend. Die Neufassung ist so vielschichtig und tief, wie nur ein Orchester klingen kann. Man meint, mehr als zehn Musiker zu hören, angehörs des infernalisch schönen Klangs. Großartig – mindestens.
(Trust, D, 10/2007)
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