Released
1986
Label
Nettwerk/Capitol
Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund
Contact
Nettwerk Records Inc.
632 Broadway
Suite 301
New York, NY
Last Edit/Update
23 March, 1998
Skinny Puppy
MIND:
THE PERPETUAL
INTERCOURSE
Track Listing
1. One Time One Place
2. Gods Gift (Maggot)
3. Three Blind Mice
4. Love
5. Stairs And Flowers
6. Antagonism
7. 200 Years
8. Dig It**
9. Burnt With Water
10. Chainsaw*
11. Addiction*
12. Stairs And Flowers (Dub)*
13. deep down Trauma Hounds*
*extra tracks on CD release
**12" version on CD release
Only one year separates Mind:
The Perpetual Intercourse and Bites, but the musical growth between these two
albums is probably the greatest in Skinny Puppy's career. The sound of Mind
as a whole is much more layered than on the previous releases, the structures of the
compositions are less schematic, and at times almost sound improvisational. cEvin Key's
rhythm patterns display a higher level of complexity, and his range of percussional
elements is broader. The lyrics of Nivek Ogre are slightly less inward and
obscure, while his vocal style is more plastic and theatrical. The underlying synth
arrangements are a lot stronger and more developed on a number of the songs, infusing Skinny
Puppy's music with a contrapuntal beauty and harmony that was only vaguely
present on a few of their songs prior to Mind.
It is difficult not to
ascribe this last aspect of Skinny Puppy's music to the addition of Dwayne
Goettel to their line-up. Although Goettel is only credited as 'guest
musician' on a handful of tracks, it seems likely that he influenced the sound of the
band, even on some of those songs he did not directly appear on.
The songs "Three Blind
Mice" and "Antagonism" most prominently feature these streamlike synth
themes. Both songs have an overall sense of finality acreditable to the melancholy tone of
the atmospherics and Ogre's nihilistic lyrics and raging vocal performances. Alive
yet unaware asking do you really care, screams Ogre on
"Antagonism," as Key's drums come crashing down around him.
"Antagonism" and
"One Time One Place" both give a kaleidoscopic view of the human condition. Ogre's
lyrics at once scrutinize the ills of the world, and the horrors of his personal life. On
"One Time One Place" man is described as nature's regret, and,
accompanied by a chaotic sonic representation of machinegun fire and explosions, Ogre runs
down a list of man's crimes. "200 Years" carries on the mood of these two
tracks, although it lacks Ogre's vocals and instead relies heavily on film
samples. The piece moves Key's percussions to the foreground, while effect sounds
and thematic elements play a subtler role.
The tracks "Stairs and
Flowers," "Burnt With Water" and , to a lesser extent, "Gods Gift
(Maggot)" are more minimal and theatrical. On "Stairs and Flowers"
extensive samples are taken from a Canadian radio play (Sticks 1984), around which Skinny
Puppy sculpt their music. Ogre rattles, growls and screams, while Key
and Goettel add a number of percussions and effects. The final result is a
free-associational theatre of sound. "Burnt With Water," as the title suggests,
is a horror movie for the ears. Dozens of movie samples are integrated into a constantly
mutating pattern of drums and noises, with Ogre playing the part of the vampire,
muttering incomprehensible words and screaming in agony, as he is burnt with water.
The indie single hit
"Dig It" is presented in its remixed version, rather than in its original form
from the vinyl release of Mind. The vocals and guitar samples are isolated and
emphasized in the new mix, making it a more danceable song perhaps, but robbing it of some
of its power as a Skinny Puppy track.
The same is true for three
out of the four additional tracks that have been added on the CD from the singles Chainsaw
and Addiction. Only the song "Chainsaw" appears in its original form.
(For more information on these bonus tracks, see the individual reviews of these single
releases).
Copyright Last Sigh
