Acid Mothers Temple SWR

Acid Mothers Temple SWR ("Stone! Woman! Record!," according to the artwork) is a different beast than the regular Melting Paraiso ensemble. Makoto Kawabata joins Tsuyama Atsushi, on bass and vocals, and Yoshida Tatsuya, who brings a jazz feel to the drums. The liner notes state that this was recorded in a single ten-hour-long session, but the record does not feel like something that was jammed out onto tape. Although 13 titles are listed on the back cover, the tracks segue into each other almost seamlessly, as if they were movements in a single piece, similar in structure to one side of Faust's Tapes. To wit, the post-math rock guitar soloing on "Good Buddha" blends into the slinky bass drone/groove of "Mecochin of Love." Atsushi's chanting on that track meets a solo flute (uncredited as to who is playing it) and morphs into the stomping tribal space music of "Bad Buddha." And so on, for exactly 60 minutes. First it's acid rock, then it's Beefheart in Japan, then freak-folk, then a head-shaking feedback assault. And of course, it's all great. The SWR lineup appears to be a one-off, but one would hope that they would record again, as this record is one of the most diverse and accessible offerings that exists in the extensive Acid Mothers canon. As such, it is highly recommended for newcomers as an easy in.

3.5 stars