Hidros 3 (To Patti Smith)
 

Can someone tell me about this album (please):

It's kinda noise, but it's not improvised, nor is it a Sonic Youth composition - it's scored by Mats Gustaffson. It's the kind of thing that your Franz Ferdinand loving friends claim 'isn't even music', you know what I mean.

I like it, personally. Track 3 (I think - I'll check) is the most viciously gutteral-sounding thing I've heard. It's of interest, definitely, but not essential n the early days of an SY collection. Although, on the other hand, it's not often seen for sale round these parts, so a chance to buy it might be best taken.

It's prob. the most abravsive stuff the sonics have done, mostly with the help of Mats gustavson on sax (some of the stuff he plays on here drives even me crazy)
Kims vocals are a lot like 1000leaves but a lot more uncomprehendable. over theres a free feeling, lack of melody. If you like the whole free music genre then I suggest you get it. Otherwise dont waist your money.

One of the things that convinced me to splash out the not inconsiderable sum being demanded by Virgin was this rather good review (note his words on track three!):


Like a Viking warrior striding through the field of battle, coolly despatching his wounded, vanquished opponents with a smite of the axe, PlayLouder is currently wading through a big mountain of 2004's CDs, searching for things to metaphorically knock off with a whoop before the year is out.

On first listen to 'Hidros 3', I must confess I was pondering using the "Viking axe wielded at poor unfortunate" angle. Noodly balls! Did our brain first cry when the jazzy flicks of guitar tickled each other pointlessly at the beginning of Track One - 'Hidros 3' seems somewhat wary of anything as conventional as names. Track Two didn't bode much better at first. Kim Gordon, never really one to try for a Katie Melua, deliberately allows her voice to gently grate on either side of the note as the same guitars pitter and patter away in the background.

But this being a Sonic Youth side project with some folks you have never heard of, this track is over 17 minutes long... and so does Gordon shut up... and strange watery murmurs begin. As does a deep, mechanical buzz of some massive capacitor at least three rooms away in a power station - anyone who's stood next to the far wall of the Tate Modern will know exactly what I mean. This in turn breaks down into strangely empty guitar soloing, like a dull-brained rocker playing into space as his craft explodes. Actually, it's the sound that you can imagine the dude from Dark Star had in his ears at the end when the bomb has its existential crisis and he's set forth into space for all eternity, riding a board.

It all points to the fact that now Sonic Youth have decided they're a band who like their noise focussed again, their other projects - white-beard-God-lookalike on sax of Dream/Action Unit, say, or Gordon and bits of Erase Errata's Anxious Rats, achieve their own strong, idiosyncratic identity whereas the experimentation under the centralised Sonic Youth name seemed to lack focus. I recall a particularly painful moment at Glastonbury a few years back where Kim Gordon could be espied walking along her bass with a drumstick, apropos of very little.

What makes 'Hidros 3' so interesting are its multitude of layers and forms, forming some strange triangle with jazz, rock and wilful wondering what things do as its three points.

So track 3 is composed of a strange and perverted animalistic sound, like a screaming pig throwing up a load of conkers with their shells on as a horse is gently skewered next to it. It is deeply, deeply gruesome, and possibly emanates from both SY guitar and the contrabass sax of key collaborator Mats Gustafsson. Number 7 features Kim Gordon's by now more tolerable vocal lurchings tailing off into a motorized growl as little squeaks go off, as if minnows lived on dry land and could talk.

And in between? Noise glorious noise, of every shape and hue. A terrific and wide ranging exploration of sound and textures, this Viking striding through the field of the dead has chanced upon a comely maiden.

Luke Turner


That's from here. It's an accurate review, I'd say. A bit unfair on Kim's vocals, which are as usual most engaging.

Also worth a quick mention is Gustafsson's collaboration with David Stackenas (Mountain Blues From Sweden). One of my favouriteh CD's from last year.

I see this once in a while in some of the bigger stores (usually filed under Sonic Youth) but Ive never even really thought about buying it. Perhaps I shall look into it.

It's basically Kim Gordon screaming over random noise for 70 minutes. So yeah, it's awesome.

Hmm, Kim;s voice kinda bugs me somwtimes.

Alright. Thanks, guys. I hadn't found it anywhere, I just saw it on 'allmusic', but without a review. Thought I'd ask you guys. I do think I'll purchase it if I find it at my local.

Yeah, the reports I've heard about Kim's voice have put me off buying it too, but I'm sure I'll give in sooner or later.

Okay, boss, I've ordered a copy online.

Didn't take me long to give in did it?

very succinct and accurate review!

More info from the Mustang page (it's not in the album/song database, but in the concert chronology)

Date: Monday, October 9th, 2000
City: Ystad, Sweden
Venue: Ystads Konstmuseum -- Kulturbro 2000 Festival


Notes:

• This was Mats Gustafsson's night. It consisted of a performance of his piece "Hidros 3", which lasted 70 minutes.
• Mats played saxophone, Kim Gordon provided vocals (lyrics apparently written by Patti Smith), Lindha Svantesson provided vocals as well, and Jim O'Rourke did a live mix. These 4 were in the large chamber of the museum.
• Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Shelley, Loren Mazzacane Connors, David Stackenäs all played guitar in their own separate rooms. Each room was missing a wall, so you could observe the performers (they were, however, blocked off with a rope and a sign that read "Do not touch the musicians").
• Apparently Lotta Melin was involved as well, though I'm not sure how.

http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/cc/100900.html

sounds like quite a unique gig

hidros 3 get it, its worth it

ALSO, you should check out Mats Gustafsson's jazzpunk trio The Thing. I have their album "Garage", were they put song's like "have love, will travel" (sonics), Aluminium (White Stripes), and Art Star (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's), in a completly different setting. It blows my mind so fucking hard. Gustafsson is insane, and the drummer Paal Nilsen-Love is a genius. Check em out, you wont be dissapointed, I promise.

Awesome.