Rhys Chatham - Die Donnergotter (The Thundergods) [Bonus Tracks] (CD)

All Music Guide

Though he studied under teachers from the avantgarde and electronic tradition such as Morton Subotnik, Rhys Chatham came into this own when he combined those influences with the activity occurring in the late '70s New York City punk and art rock scene as represented by the Ramones, Television, and Peter Gordon's Love of Life Orchestra. Still, the clear immediate antecedent to works like the title track here is the music of Glenn Branca. Both shared an obsession with massed electric guitars and the overtones generated when those instruments are subjected to various tunings and played in unison. Moreover, both tended to underpin the guitar sound with steady, even heavyhanded rock drumming, anchoring the music firmly to the earth. That being said, Die Donnergotter compares favorably with Branca's best work and has certain qualities, including a sunny melodic character and an absence of overt classical structure, generally foreign to Branca's oeuvre. It opens with a sustained fanfare then ...plunges headlong into an irresistible groove, the melodic leads repeating and varying almost always in crescendo mode, only to momentarily subside into a calmer, funky shuffle before roaring into action once again. The effect is exhilarating, much like having your favorite incendiary finish to a rock classic extended and stretched out for over 20 minutes. "Die Donnergotter" is a wonderful, cathartic composition. "Waterloo, No. 2" displays Chatham's other central obsession of the period: pieces that combine minimalist brass figures with snare drum driven military band rhythms. It's an odd juxtaposition and one that takes some getting used to as the listener attempts to reconcile the dreamy, repetitive trumpet and trombone patterns with the highly regimented cadences of the drums. The effort pays off, however, in some of the most idiosyncratic music you'll ever hear; its anticipation of acoustic collages by composers like John Zorn and Simon H. Fell makes it perhaps more forward looking than the guitar manifestos. The final piece, "Guitar Trio" was recorded five years earlier than "Die Donnergotter" and can be seen as a portent of things to come. In some ways its relative looseness and, especially, the microtonal bending of notes by the bass guitar make this more appealing than its descendent. It cedes the overwhelming drive and power for some oneonone intimacy that, after the enormous impact of the prior two compositions, is refreshing. A great record, arguably Chatham's masterwork, Die Donnergotter is very highly recommended for rock and new music fans alike. [The 2006 reissue featured bonus tracks.] - Brian Olewnick, All Music Guide Read more Less