The Boys:
Music from the Feature Film
by The Necks
ReR Megacorp, Thornton Heath, UK, 2004
CD-ROM,ReR NECKS4, £11.50
Distributors
Website: http://www.rermegacorp.com.
Reviewed
by Mike Mosher
Saginaw Valley State University
mosher@svsu.edu
The Necks, previously discussed on this
website, are Tony Buck on drums, Lloyd
Swanton on bass, and Chris Abrahams on
piano and keyboards. This CD is
their extremely likeable movie music for
Rowan Woods' 1998 Australian movie, and
it includes some tracks the band had composed
for the film that were not used onscreen.
"The Boys I" is Pink Floyd orientalism,
sparse and effective. It contrasts
with the introspective "Boys II", and
Abraham's piece for piano and synthesizer
"Boys III" which evokes both serialist
composers and Brian Eno. "The Sleep
of Champions" is a six-and-a-half minute
travelogue, abruptly switching midstream
to heartbeat pulse and B3 nightclub organ.
It is in their longer workouts that the
Necks build their most interesting works.
"He Led them Into the World" is
contemporary pop jazz, and this reviewer
kept expecting Sade to step up to the
mic to provide vocals. In the 10-minute
"Headlights", cool punkish figures build
on organ, synthesizer, and piano. "Fife
and Drum" begins with a fusillade of fuzz
bass in order to construct a long dinosaur
stomp atop Buck's impressive polyrhythms
This is what the dismal American
trio Medeski Martin and Wood would and
should sound like, had they the savvy,
wit and economy of the Necks.