Released
1996
Reviewed by
Kim
Alexander
Label
Contact
Scar Tissue
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Last Edit/Update
27 March, 1998
SCAR TISSUE
Separator
Track Listing
1. Powerclone
2. Our Disease
3. Recline
4. Failure
5. Pain Pinched Features
6. Laundered
7. Cold
8. Asthmatic
9. Chatter
10. Splinterland
11. Tamheran
12. Gobstopper
13. Stance
14. Soil
15. Choking On Fate
16. Feeler
17. Our Disease
(16 Volt Remix)
I have to say that this entire CD is incredibly good, so I won't give a track by
track review here (17 in all... What a deal!) Instead I am going to tell you the overall
sounds and structures as well as few snippets from some of my favourite parts of these
wonderful compositions presented by Steve Watkins and Phillip Caldwell. Why I enjoy Scar
Tissue so much is that I am a Bass and Drum Dark Wave Junkie -- Watkins and Caldwell
take care of that for me...
First of all, there are many dark
ominous sections within the releases here that flirt with a semi-lighter side of the
electronic technology of sound. A number of the pieces engage in dark harmonics -- and of
course there is the deeper more reflective drum and bass of Steve's expertise entwined and
floating throughout the melodic selections.
Then there are those more *raw* sounds as
in the track Pain Pinched Features which fits the title well with squeeking
sounds and raw drums that make you feel rather uneasy...The CD is not void of samples,
vocal samples of mysterious entities speaking out about a variety of situations as in the
first track: Powerclone where what seems to be a female instructor comments: The
little girl liked her daddy's fuel, as she liked to say -- or in the track: Laundered:
Overdosing or doping a slave too heavily... can... slow down the slaves reactions to
the trip, and both songs bring out a powerful synergism of bass, drums and melody.
Vocals
are for the most part treated in effect and done by Steve himself and Dofino. They are not
boringly similar from track to track so be in for a surprise there. Likewise, the spaceous
effects of noise included within this artwork gives the listener a sense of expanse in
sound all the while leaving you with a number of other interesting lulls and voids of
creative interjections of sound design.
Which brings me to lyrics -- as in
the cd cover where six of the 17 song lyrics are written, Recline begins with
"moving slow towards oblivion, moving fast towards destruction...", and in Stance,
"...emotions trapped within a cage for tomorrow's waiting promise -- life is annoying
seriously boring..." coupled with the music which tends overall to be dark,
threatening and heavily clad with those intense deep percussions that Steve seems so fond
of producing in his compositions tend to conjure up scary visual landscapes while
listening.
Phillip Caldwell is not to be left
unnoticed in this release as his guitar influence can be heard throughout helping to
perpetuate the exactness of sounds in their aural artwork. Phillip has a number of
*toys* he uses to MASTURBATE the sounds out of his guitars which always seemed to fit
right into place at the right time.
If you have never seen Scar
Tissue live don't miss them. They are one of the best perfomances I have seen...not
to mention the good quality of sound when they are live, providing the club has a decent
PA system I guess...and that can be another story...
To see our two exclusive interviews with Steve
and Phillip click here:
Click here to
read review of
TMOTD