Released
1992
Label
Nettwerk/Capitol
Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund
Visit
Last Edit/Update
23 March, 1998
Skinny Puppy
BACK AND FORTH
Series Two
Track Listing
1. Intro (live in Winnipeg)
2. Sleeping Beast*
3. K-9*
4. Monster Radio Man
5. Quiet Solitude*
6. The Pit*
7. Sore in a Masterpiece/Dead Of Winter*
8. Unovis on a Stick
9. To a Baser Nature
10. A.M./Meat Flavour*
11. My Voice Sounds Like Shit
12. Smothered Hope (demo)
13. Explode the P.A.
14. Assimilate (instrumental demo)
15. Edge of Insanity*
* Tracks included on original
Back And Forth tape (1983).
Released in 1992, this
version of Back And Forth was -- according to cEvin Key -- issued to
prevent further bootleggings of the original tape. In addition to the seven songs included
on the initial cassette, this CD also features a number of previously unreleased early
demos, live recordings and "some stuff...found while looking." Consequently the
sound quality throughout is quite rough, and the release as such will probably be of
interest mainly to fanatic Skinny Puppy fans.
Of the songs from the
original tape, "K-9" and "Smothered Hope" are probably the most
promising. The latter song later appeared on Skinny Puppy's first EP -- Remission
-- in a condensed version, without a number of the instrumental sequences and media
samples of this early version. "K-9" was supposedly the very first song recorded
by Key and Ogre, and although on the monotone side, it is a spooky
little piece with tinny effect sounds and much use of echo.
"Quiet Solitude"
and "The Pit," with their klanky, metallic percussions and hollow, spinning
synths, are also indicative of Skinny Puppy's sound on Remission.
Naturally, the sound quality of these songs is primitive even compared to Skinny
Puppy's first official release, but the style and compositional trends of the
band are clear enough.
The most surprising track is
the instrumental "Edge of Insanity," the sound of which diverges quite
drastically from the other songs. With its apocalyptic atmosphere, the piece features the
kind of melancholy beauty that many later Skinny Puppy songs would derive
their power from. On "Edge of Insanity," this element is discernible for the
first time.
The rest of the material
included on the CD is a mixed bag. Some of the pieces like "Unovis on a Stick,"
"To a Baser Nature" and "A.M." are little more than collages of media
samples, and are interesting primarily in comparison to the second half of Last Rights
(1992), which featured similar ideas carried out on a grander and more complex scale.
The two demos
("Assimilate" and "Smothered Hope") carry the fascination of peeking
into the artist's sketchbook, but these are rather rough sketches, and at best will
motivate a fresh listen to the final versions on Bites and Remission,
respectively.
"Explode the P.A."
documents Skinny Puppy giving an encore at an early show. Much of the
rather extended piece is quite clearly improvised, but the band successfully conjures up
the expected atmosphere -- much manipulation of Ogre's voice takes place,
synthesizer knobs are turned at random it seems with unexpected ghastly results, and a
rudimentary theme is plinked out on the keyboard.
All in all, Back And
Forth is a wonderful treasure or appendix, for the serious Puppy fan.
However, the CD as such is taxing to listen to at times, and is doubtfully one that will
win the band many new followers.
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