Noise is the voice of the gods of chaos. In noise all possible sounds are present, although in a kaleidoscopic non-hierarchy. Noise does not allow our expectations of order to materialize to come true. It overwhelms us and our plans, leaving us vulnerable, stunned. Don’t let this fool you though, noise is music. From the early recordings of DADA and futuristic artists like Hugo Ball and Luigi Russolo at Musique Concrete to the sirens and crackles of Public Enemy’s “The Bomb Squad” to the current aural assaults of SunnO))), noise is music. Noise is also our world. Think about the soundscape you move through every day. All the alarms and sirens and microwave beeps and computer beeps and Doppler effects of cars and bits of conversation and jackhammers and helicopters and horns and laughter and static and doors opening and doors closing and bugs and birds and waves of the ocean and box springs and all that. that, all that. We are adrift in a sea of noise.
Apparently, Japan is mad about noise. Since the late 1960s, the Japanese underground has produced some of the most terrifying, exaggerated and sublime sounds the world has ever known. Two of the early providers, Keiji Haino and Les Razilles Denudes, were simply devastating. Move a bit towards Zeni Geva, Merzbow and Masonna and you’re in serious schizophrenic territory.
Current providers like Acid Mother’s Temple and Ghost are expanding the reach and impact of the eternal theater of noise. What specifically does Japan have? Could it be the legacy of being the only country bombed with nuclear weapons? That certainly seems to have contributed to the stream of atomic monster movies produced in the last 40 years in Japan. Mothra, Gammara, and of course Godzilla seemed to include variations on the theme of nuclear bombs and accidents. Is it the vibrant and elevated drama of Kabuki and Noh theatres? Is youth street culture wildly colourful? The full body tattoos of the Japanese mafia? The religious response to nature so prevalent in Shinto? I guess it’s not one thing in particular. It’s more likely just an accumulation of a rich and colorful heritage combined with some very creative souls.
Interestingly, not all noise is particularly loud. In fact, some of the most interesting uses of noise may be in smaller, quieter sound events.
There’s a whole record label called lowercase that explores some of these quieter noise events. Other noises can be quite melancholy. Think of the band “The Birthday Party” or even Tom Waits on “Swordfishtrombones” or “Heart Attack and Vine”. Noise can be used subtly to convey sadness or strategically to highlight an explosive moment. This is the realm in which we find LSD March and their latest reissued release, “Empty Rubious Red” (aARCHIVE).
As stated above, this disc is a reissue of an earlier (and microscopically available) standalone version. It has a couple of bonus tracks and some great new art work by Joe DeNardo from the band “Growing”.
While some of the aforementioned noise dealers come out of the rocking box, LSD March tends to take a bit longer. The songs begin with strange, quiet jingles. They sound like springs popping and marbles rolling across a piano. LSD March’s protagonist, Shinsuke Michishita, is a master of moderation. But when things finally get loose, watch out! The music on this album is actually quite a range. There are moments of tranquility and melancholy. At times (“As Many A Stars In The Sky” and “Nude and Bizarre”) he gets carried away by seared and parched folk music. The ethereal songs serve as a nice counterpoint to monstrously thunderous jams like “Empty Rubious Red.” LSD March is perhaps not as steeped in pure noise as The Boredoms claims. They’re more psychedelic, folksy, and drone-based. As with many great Japanese bands, they are synthesized. This is great music to listen to while looking out over the vast ocean on a clear day from a high cliff. It represents the quietest and most expansive possibilities in the noise equation.
This album is out of print at ARCHIVE but you can download the full album from Lotushouse Records mp3 shopzone [http://www.lotushouserecords.com/shop].