baht habit wrote:...it's a great track but a little monotonous in presentation --- it's like a steady flat line throughout and all the interesting avant-jazz horn licks still couldn't help to give the piece some much needed dynamics. a little bit more in the drum and guitar department would have done wonders to break up the repetitive backing loop.
that's kind of the whole of Snow Borne Sorrow for me. I don't think David's always right in pursuing what he feels worth pursuing. Rain Tree Crow is a masterpiece; SBS, I feel he had better relinquished control and left the final mixes to Burnt (Jaki's drumming included).
I'm getting a bit off-topic here, but there was a wonderful negative review of Everything and Nothing by Ian Penman years ago, which neatly encapsulated David's over-controlling traits for me.
remaining on the off-topic course and speaking of Jaki (Liebezeit), there was a curious information on Burnt's part in a Wire 'Invisible Jukebox' interview with him, where he concluded that David was unhappy with the original drum tracks for SBS simply because he couldn't feel certain time signatures ('The Librarian' especially, being in 5/4) so they ended up sounding 'wrong' to him (and Steve), which led to them being replaced by Steve's own drum parts. for me it was an endearing insight into human imperfection (and a possible thumbs-up for formal musical education as well).
I remember Burnt expressing a mild regret for this, but otherwise having understanding for their differing musicianly backgrounds and mindsets.