Diamanda Galas - Vena Cava: C/D

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I thought Malediction and Prayer was pretty good but this is spectacular, almost harrowing in its Expressionism. Her range, from the throaty rasping to the wild screaming to the whispers and the sharply spoken bits, is really displayed and utilized, enhanced by the reverb and occasional use of electronic treatment. It shows up how much she was held back by working within trad song forms on M and P - that was almost like it couldn't decide whether it was about the songs or the voice.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 24 July 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

sundar have you heard schrei X?

(I have recently bought vena cava 2nd hand but have only heard a track or two, pretty damn good).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 24 July 2003 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I am v much interested in getting hold of joan la barabara's 2 CD set on lovely music to see how her exploration of the voice compares.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 24 July 2003 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Julio -- Joan La Barbara's approach is quite different from Galas'. There's not the emphasis on extremes of dynamics and timbre; a number of La Barbara's pieces use multiple vocal tracks to create layered textures and the overall effect is generally much smoother and more hypnotic than Galas (whose work I also really admire, by the way).

La Barbara has worked with Morton Feldman and Steve Reich on multiple occasions, so if you're at all familiar with their work you get some idea of where she's coming from sonically -- more repetition, not into harsh sounds, long exposition of ideas.

By the way, for an interesting male vocalist doing similar (at times)work, check out Somei Satoh, especially his "Mandara Trilogy"

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Thursday, 24 July 2003 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

got it. I've heard a some a work of Phil Niblock's for voice and that sounds v similar. I am familiar with feldman too.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 24 July 2003 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Haven't heard Schrei X, I don't think, but I've also taken out The Sporting Life and Masque of the Red Death (think I heard this one once before), which I will listen to.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 24 July 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Vena Cava: classic. I saw her perform some or all of this material several years back. I can't say I listen to it all the time, but it's still great. Part of the problem is that I need to be able to turn up the volume and leave it there so I can hear the high and low ranges, but that means letting things sometimes get louder than I want them to while I'm still living in an apartment.

― Al Andalous, Thursday, 24 July 2003 13:37 (twenty-two years ago)

yes, volume control is a problem with that CD.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 24 July 2003 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

She says to play it loud.

― Al Andalous, Thursday, 24 July 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I know but that's not something my parents would welcome :(

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 24 July 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Probably hard to find, but I'd recommend Panoptikon(on Henry Kaiser's Metalanguage label)along with Schrei X, if you like her abstract approach. Forced Exposure did a great interview with her(copies may still be available), and Serpent's Tail published a book-"The Shit Of God"--lyrics, writings, and a few scores.
Sundar--you may also want to look for recordings by Shelly Hirsch, Patty Waters, and Phil Minton. Not always as dramatic, but still pretty wild.

― Stephen Boyle (SBoyle), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

phil minotn was the guy who did the vocals on that niblock composition i was talking abt earlier. its on the touch label.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 24 July 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

The Sporting LIfe ain't exactly a typical 'Galas album'. It's possible that Diamanda and P.-J. did have lotsa fun while recording it, but in general it's neither here nor there. They sort of try to rock out and stuff, and that's how that record's mostly stuck in my mind - as a sound of 'trying'.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Thursday, 24 July 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

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