UNRAVEL

Let's Just Say This

There's basic music- three chords and a guitar.

Then there's Herd of Instinct. And I blame Mark Cook, that restless WARR-guitar wanderer- and I may be wrong about this, but maybe not.

Because who can stay rooted, elemental, or basic while holding that intimidating piece of musical hi-jinks? Hey Mark? How about getting a simple Strat or iconic Les Paul, and get back down here with us mortals?

But No!

HERD OF INSTINCT has to go gallivanting all over musical creation. No time for simple strums, soupy ballads, manly blasts of heavy metal. Worse yet, they pull unsuspecting musician friends from the musical spectrum limned by progressive rock, jazz, metal, horror shows, and deep space.

Then they too become infected with these sophisticated, complex, maddeningly dense and dark flights of musical genius, these challenging, cerebral explorations from some alternate dimension...

Listener, Beware!

Do you seriously expect to fully grasp what you are hearing, to file it in neat categories and genres and sub-genres, pigeon-hole these melodies that swoop in from Mars and then on to another corner of the multiverse?

Guess again! But by the way, "Unravel" is a fit name for this insane, skilled, somewhat arrogant display of oddly coordinated musicianship.

After all, you- haplessly hearing, dimly perceiving, nibbling at the edges of what is being proffered- the ominous, sometimes tribal and sometimes audacious percussion and drumming. The multiple wails, moans, flights, lushness, and space-speckles from keyboards, synthesized guitar (?), synthesizers. The rumbling, rambling, deep bass excursions- I don't even pretend to know from which part of which 'instrument' these sounds are emitted.

But Damn

Here's another gripe, Mr. Cook & Co. Improvisation? On this level? Well, it's just insanely wonderful- and that's a real problem for me. After all EVERYONE knows improv is meant to be a trumpeter in a jazz band or a guitarist in a blues band or whatever.

Not THIS- just take Markus Reuter as one example. Not THAT kind of endless stream-of-consciousness reverie flowing from the mind, heart, and soul of a beyond-the-pale talented fellow- THIS is not acceptable! Who else on the planet can hope to grasp, much less emulate, such musical finesse and form?

But I get it Mark!

Oh yes- your mission and your musical co-conspirators'- is to bring ordinary mortals into the herd, to stand chomping our cud, huddled together for warmth and comfort, listening glassy-eyed to such musical madness/joy/bliss- words fail. Such levels of creativity and expression seem designed only for one purpose. To keep us cattle humble and in one piece.

So That's It

I've had quite enough- for now. May whatever well(s) you and your precious HERD draw from remain deep, cool, and crystalline.

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