SCOTT JOHNSON

The other element if Scott's composition that is notable is the use of human dialogue to shape the music. Basing the music on pre- recorded speech gives it unique turns and twists.

On that note, the first composition, Americans, is the most notable and interesting here, featuring intense rhythms and heavy use of dissonant and abrupt instrumentation. Reminds somewhat of chamber rock acts like Rational Diet. The first ten seconds will hook you.

The three instrumental tracks are good but not as good as the vocal based tracks.

Because this is a motion picture soundtrack, this is much more atmospheric than Scott Johnson's previous album. In fact, the only piece that really resembles the earlier album is Mom Dad, where the film's star Natasha Richardson reads a letter from the captive Patty Hearst to her parents. Johnson then uses the cadence of Richardson's voice as the basis of a truly wonderful avant-garde track. There is also a slight refrain near the end of the album in Dad Mom, but in under a minute it is barely noticable.

The rest of the music, despite being a soundtrack, has some great work as well. Johnson has written some of his quirky guitar-based music for a small chamber orchestra, and much of it gets very exciting. It doesn't offer as much of Johnson's unique style as "John Somebody", but there is plenty here to love.

On the 4-part (I have the original, not the expanded version) piece John Somebody, Johnson took a number of recorded spoken word tapes, cut a few specific phrases, and used the speakers' own vocal inflections to develop intricate melodies. By splicing, looping and layering these tapes, he developed some backing tracks containing distinct melodies, upon which he added more layers of guitar, bass, electronics, percussion and woodwinds. The result is a set of pieces that sound otherworldly, but at the same time, eerily human.

What he has created is difficult to describe, but I do feel a slight comparison to Captain Beefheart,s band, around the time of "Shiny Beast" may be appropriate. He begins with a phrase, repeated a few times, until it begins to sound musical. He then begins adding guitar, then other instruments, until each piece is overflowing with lushness and intensity.

I must make a special note for Part 3 - Involuntary Songs. This piece is nothing less than brilliant. In this section, Johnson takes some tapes of a woman (or is it women?) laughing, and using his editing techniques, manages to come up with an incredible backing track that contains numerous themes and melodies, which he expertly embellishes with guitar.

On the last track of the album, No Memory, Johnson gives the same treatment to shorter tape edits, which come out as mere vocal noises. On this piece, he does more manipulation of the sounds, with harmonizers and pitch shifters. Here, the track he creates becomes as much a rhythm track as a musical accompaniment. But the sound is no less exquisite.

One of these days I have to get the expanded CD.