HR171 - Dean Carter - Psychomuzak - C60 — 1990
Side 1:
Dr. Livingstone I Presume??? |
Side 2:
Trooping The Colours Bonus |
Review by Jerry Kranitz
Dean Carter is an English musician and his Psychomuzak cassette album consists of Fender Stratocaster guitar played through a digital delay. All of Side 1 is ‘Dr. Livingston I Presume???’, a gradually developing expedition. We’ve got repetitive strumming patterns and solo snippets played over an energetically funky rhythmic foundation. Carter later transitions to soundscape territory, indulging his inner space effects explorer, creating gurgles and howls which soon takes on a new rhythmic pattern. But Carter continues to explore, sailing through mesmerizing space segments and eventually returning to the funky opening theme. I love the spiraling layers of minimal yet intricate guitar and rhythmic patterns.
Side 2 consists of ‘Trooping The Colours’, which is more focused on beautifully soothing guitar melodies. As the piece develops Carter adds light grooves, but a succession of melodic patterns and playful licks amidst a generally spacey atmosphere predominates. In the last few minutes, the music comes to a close, but… surprise! Someone, presumably Carter, is talking in a funny Monty Python speaking as a woman voice, followed by a Monty Python D.P. Gumby explanation of how the tape was recorded. Very strange.
Though not credited, the tape wraps up with an additional 6-minute track that’s a surprisingly straightforward singer/songwriter rocking tune with actual singing and lyrics. An odd contrast to the rest of the album (listed as ‘Bonus’ on the Bandcamp page).
I found interesting information and interviews with Carter at his website. He apparently got seriously ill in the 1990s, the upshot of which is that he currently works as a ‘sound healer’, operating the Center for Pure Sound. Visit him at his website: https://centreforpuresound.org
Dean Carter is an English musician and his Psychomuzak cassette album consists of Fender Stratocaster guitar played through a digital delay. All of Side 1 is ‘Dr. Livingston I Presume???’, a gradually developing expedition. We’ve got repetitive strumming patterns and solo snippets played over an energetically funky rhythmic foundation. Carter later transitions to soundscape territory, indulging his inner space effects explorer, creating gurgles and howls which soon takes on a new rhythmic pattern. But Carter continues to explore, sailing through mesmerizing space segments and eventually returning to the funky opening theme. I love the spiraling layers of minimal yet intricate guitar and rhythmic patterns.
Side 2 consists of ‘Trooping The Colours’, which is more focused on beautifully soothing guitar melodies. As the piece develops Carter adds light grooves, but a succession of melodic patterns and playful licks amidst a generally spacey atmosphere predominates. In the last few minutes, the music comes to a close, but… surprise! Someone, presumably Carter, is talking in a funny Monty Python speaking as a woman voice, followed by a Monty Python D.P. Gumby explanation of how the tape was recorded. Very strange.
Though not credited, the tape wraps up with an additional 6-minute track that’s a surprisingly straightforward singer/songwriter rocking tune with actual singing and lyrics. An odd contrast to the rest of the album (listed as ‘Bonus’ on the Bandcamp page).
I found interesting information and interviews with Carter at his website. He apparently got seriously ill in the 1990s, the upshot of which is that he currently works as a ‘sound healer’, operating the Center for Pure Sound. Visit him at his website: https://centreforpuresound.org