Kinski
http://www.kinski.net
styles: new weird america, free-drone, hard rock
others: Charalambides, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Black Sabbath
 Alpine
Static
Sub Pop, 2005
rating: 3.5/5
reviewer: dave gurney
For a largely instrumental, experimental rock group, finding new musical routes
to traverse can be a daunting task to say the least; but with Alpine Static,
Kinski proves that just such a task can be accomplished. Previous releases have
presented the group as purveyors of a strain of psychedelic space rock most akin
to the more exploratory passages of Sonic Youth songs, which has made them
favorites of a small subset of underground rock fans. While many of the elements
of that early sound still exist on this new effort, their songs have become more
unabashedly aggressive and correspondingly charged with a heretofore less
apparent love for heavier rock, and even metal.
Without any hesitation, "Hot Stenographer" kicks off the proceedings with an
electrified shot of riff rockin' worthy of a comparison to Black Sabbath, as
well as more obvious krautrock touchstones like Harmonia or Neu. Following a
brief guitar intro, the band launches into this charging number which could
serve well as a soundtrack to a montage of demolition derby highlights (possibly
intercut with some footage of an attractive court clerk?). As the album
progresses, the songs do expand structurally and reincorporate elements of the
more spacey meanderings that a fan would expect, but never does it fully lose
the thrust of rock energy apparent in the opening. "Passed Out on Your Lawn"
segues from a hushed lullaby of a beginning into a full-throttle rock freakout
in just a couple of minutes. The ambient soundscape opening of "The Snowy Parts
of Scandinavia" quickly becomes a screeching guitar feedback attack. Of course,
Kinski does find room to offer more contemplative, droning tracks with "All Your
Kids Have Turned to Static" and the delicate closer "Waka Nusa." While they
haven't completely redrawn themselves, Alpine Static does signify a step
forward for Kinski with its unashamed embrace of guitar rock.
1. Hot Stenographer
2. The Wives of Artie Shaw
3. Hiding Drugs in the Temple (Part 2)
4. The Party Which You Know Will Be Heavy
5. Passed Out on Your Lawn
6. All Your Kids Have Turned to Static
7. The Snowy Parts of Scandinavia
8. Edge Set
9. Waka Nusa
 Don't
Climb on and Take the Holy Water
rating: 3.5/5
Strange Attractors, 2004
reviewer: jean-pierre
Who knew you could free any type of music? Aside from Modern Composition, Jazz
was the first genre to be "freed" in the '60s when musicians like Ornette
Coleman and Don Cherry began improvising their songs rather than opting for
traditional structures. Over the last ten years, other kind musicians around the
world have slowly (but surely) freed folk music, electronics, and everything
else in between. Devoid of rhythm and a sense of aimlessness, Seattle drone
rockers known as Kinski dig deep and free drone music; what a nice group of
people.
After playing secretly in their hometown for the last couple years under the
name Herzog, Kinski must have felt it was time to release their latest
experiment, Don't Climb on and Take the Holy Water; a collection of five
tracks that take the band's trademark sonic guitars and slow things down - a
lot.
This collection of songs is meant to invoke a sense of space, which is part of
Kinski's arsenal of strengths. Only, instead of power guitars, the tracks
meander and drone throughout, which opens up new routes the band never hinted at
previously. The album's undoubted centerpiece is the near thirty-minute "The
Misprint in the Gutenberg Print Shop." It is a psychedelic and spacey piece if
there ever was such a thing, and the song is a workout in drone with minimal
guitar effects playing alongside waves of sound. It eventually puts the listener
in a trance-like state, ending with claps and hollers.
Kinski is obviously proud of the final result. While Don't Climb on and Take
the Holy Water is a nice change of pace and a pleasant excursion in the
free-drone for an underrated guitar band, it lacks any real defining moments
that would make it a more noteworthy and essential album. But, at the very
least, it's worth checking out.
1. Never Compete with Small Girls
2. The Misprint in the Gutenberg Print Shop
3. Crepes the Cheap
4. Bulky Knit Cheerleader Sweater
5. There's Nothing Sexy about Time
 Semaphore
EP
Sub Pop 2002
rating: 3.5/5
reviewer: jean-pierre
Punishing quasi-instrumental math rock never really was my bag but when it’s
done well, its pretty damn good. Kinski do punishing quasi-instrumental math
rock pretty damn well. Hailing from Seattle, Kinski received some favorable
reviews for their debut album Be Gentle With The Warm Turtle in 2001…so
much so that Sub Pop decided to sign the band just several weeks ago.
As a teaser for the band’s upcoming sophomore album and Sub Pop debut which will
be released early in 2003, the Semaphore EP collects four tracks: the
title track which will be on the new album, a cover of The Clean’s "Point That
Thing Somewhere Else" and two unreleased tracks.
The title track, "Semaphore," is the highlight of this EP and is a good
indication of where the band is headed. Gone are the Slint-esque noodling that
the band occasionally fell into and in it’s place are staccato guitar feedback,
wailing waves of distortion and a pummeling drum beat that brings to mind Hum at
their very best.
The Clean cover is done quite well. Simple Superchunk-esque vocals lead into the
wall of distortion and never let go. "The Bunnies Are Tough" is a
tonal-experimental segue that leads into the final track, "I Wouldn’t Hurt A
Fly." Icy guitar strumming a la Interpol form a basis for the massive waves of
distortion that recall My Bloody Valentine and Godspeed You Black Emperor.
Listening to the Semaphore EP, it’s a safe bet to say that Kinski will be
a band much talked about in 2003. Check out a band on the cusp of something
great.
1. Semaphore
2. Point That Thing Somewhere Else
3. The Bnnies are Tough
4. I Wouldn't Hurt a Fly
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