Scorces
 http://www.scorces.com

styles: drone rock, ambient rock, psychedelic folk/rock, New Weird America
others: Charalambides, Flying Saucer Attack, Fürsaxa, Double Leopards

Beats for the Beast (w/ Tom Carter)
Free Porcupine Society, 2004
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: amneziak


Last week I had the privilege of viewing a beautiful film by Gus Van Sant, called Gerry. It's the story of two young men who, in the process of hiking in the desert, become lost. Those who have seen it will tell you that there's not a huge amount of substance to the movie (if any): very minimal dialogue, no storytelling, no laughing, no cars blowing up, etc. The two aspects, however, that make the film great are the music (from Arvo Pärt's Alina) and the spacious imagery that protrude each spanning moment of the film. These two characteristics, along with the fact that it's a stunning minimalist composition that requires no study to be appreciated, made the film well worth my time; regardless of whether or not the majority of society will even "get it."

I've chosen to cite this film as a reference point because it is, in so many ways, the cinematic equivalent of Tom Carter and Scorces new LP, Beats for the Beast. Similar to Gerry, Beats for the Beast is a long and drawn out process that becomes so minimally affecting that you occasionally begin to question why you've allowed yourself to become a part of the journey. Both are repetitive, inaccessible, and highly challenging in capacity. But both exude overwhelming rewards in the end due to their simplicity.

The two songs each compile one half of the album and consist of all three members of Charalambides. The first of the two songs, "Beats for the Beast," is done by Tom Carter. It's quite simply a 30-minute psychedelic dustbowl of slide guitar meanderings. Although it is a guitar-only driven song, Carter has the ability to generate a lush and impressive quality of sounds with a minimal amount of effort. The same can be said for the second half of the album when bandmates/wife Christina Carter and Heather Leigh Murray of Scorces take over. These two ladies add different textures than Tom by adding periodic touches of vocals to their mind-expanding cuatro (Spanish guitar). Furthermore, the same minimalist quality is in tact.

Although nothing within these two recordings is dissimilar to anything the trio has performed before, both stand as true testaments to an unmitigated pursuit for passion in simplistic beauty. When one or two people can create music of this magnitude with a heightened sense of ease, you can rest assured that people will listen with content; even in spite of how challenging it may be to the mass public, or how long it takes to truly "get it."

1. Tom Carter – Beats for the Beast
2. Scorces – Come Closer Away

L’or et L’argent CDR
Wholly Other, 2003
rating: 4/5
reviewer: amneziak


Simply by looking at a painting, I’ve always had the ability to tell whether a woman or man did the work.  Obviously this observation is not factual evidence, but there are subtle differences in the way women and men translate life into art.  Over time, the same concept has basically rung true for me when it comes to music.  However, in the case of Scorces latest experiment, I find myself being completely wrong in my views.  Who knows, maybe I’ve just had to reevaluate my observations. 

Scorces is the duo of two Charalambides members, Christina Carter and Heather Murray.  If you’re familiar with Charalambides, you know that their label, Wholly Other, is synonymous with some of today’s finer steel guitar/drone/psychedelic folk works.  L’or et L’argent (meaning The Silver and Gold) is no different, and is an album that breaks all classification.  It’s one of the most mind-expanding opus’ I think I’ve ever heard, and it simultaneously shatters my thoughts on the “woman vs. man” concept.

There are only three tracks here, but they all amount to about seventy minutes of music.  With that amount of time, and the immense psychedelic sounds this album pours into your head, songs this long really begin to take hold of your psyche and twist it into misshapen knots.  All three songs are experiments in laptop steel and electric guitar that seem to stretch on forever.  Imagine, if you will, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas taken to the next level, and you’d almost be at a point where you could begin to comprehend this album.  I find it awe-inspiring to think that these two could sit there for this long creating this music without losing their mind.  I had almost lost my mind about halfway through the last song due to the intensity of its psychedelic effects.

Although L’or et L’argent is very hard to listen to at times, there are many moments of sheer beauty scattered about.  It’s an album that truly defies everything I’ve heard, while still sounding very familiar.  While still on the cusp of becoming noticed by the independent music scene, these two young ladies from Texas are part of a movement that will surely be overlooked by many.  However, for the jaded music listeners, who are always looking for something new, look no further than this Texas duo.  The Wholly Other label, in general, is cranking out some of the most exciting music to come out of the Lone Star state in many, many years.  Most of the current releases (as with this one) are on home made CDR’s and add to the DIY aesthetic that is becoming so popular these days.  

1. Lumiere et Obscurite
2. Impuslif et Raisonnable
3. Inspiration et Action