Afternoon Saints - The Shirley Jangle

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

5...according to our Ant on Fri 18 Dec, 2009.

Afternoon Saints are Christian Marclay, Gunter Muller, Lee Ranaldo and kiwi bagpipe master David Watson and they have an ultra smart looking heavy duty gatefold LP entitled 'The Shirley Jangle' out on Kraak. They have also roped in Jim O'Rourke for additional mixing duties and there is an etching on the fourth side by Lee Ranaldo. I can't quite gauge wether this is entirely improvised or not . Although it feels quite free-flowing the ideas feel refined. Marclay is on turntable duties, Ranaldo on guitar (no surprises there), Watson also picks up the guitar and Marclay takes ample care of percussion and electronics. There is an entire mirco/macrocosm of ideas and energy flowing through the LP. Sometimes hypnotic and then very abstract . I think it is often the case that a group of artists of this calibre collaborate but fail to translate anything but their own ideas into a messy and cluttered brew. That is not the case here, as each respond to the other with grace and remarkable fluidity, which makes for a very coherent listen. Being a big fan of David Watson's pipes I'm really enjoying his contribution to the mix. A unique and beautiful record that effortlessly straddles the realms of improv/ electronics and sound art. For the more adventurous listener there is some real joy to be found within these grooves. Limited to 500 copies.

The three-sided LP “The Shirley Jangle” is a unique collaboration by some extraordinary talents, working under the moniker of The Afternoon Saints, better known individually as Lee Ranaldo, Christian Marclay, Günter Müller and David Watson.

“The Shirley Jangle” is an intimate and subtle meeting place of noise, sound art, and experimental improvisation. Three sides of bubbling audio biosphere and a fourth-side etching by Lee Ranaldo, made specifically for the project.

The Afternoon Saints have worked together in many combinations over a long period of time. “The Shirley Jangle” was recorded in the famed Echo Canyon Studio, on Murray Street in downtown New York, mixed and edited by Jim O’Rourke.

Shirley. Surely we’ve met some place before?

LEE RANALDO, guitar. The legendary guitarist from Sonic Youth, amongst these Saints in a different light. In addition he works as a solo artist, writer, performer and visual artist.

DAVID WATSON, bagpipes, guitar. A major figure in the development of New Zealand’s experimental scene, and guitar player in New York’s downtown, Watson switched to bagpipes in the early nineties. He has had an ongoing collaboration with Lee Ranaldo for more than ten years.

CHRISTIAN MARCLAY, turntables. As performer and sound artist Christian Marclay has been experimenting and performing with phonograph records and turntables since the late ‘70’s. Marclay creates universes, theaters of found sound and dada hi-jinks. No other artist has so masterfully erased the borders between the sonic and the visual arts.

GÜNTER MÜLLER, percussion, electronics. Extraordinary Swiss musician Günter Müller played a pivotal role in The Shirley Jangle. His subtle, spare, and meditative playing turning sound into liquid textures.

This unique collectors item with exclusive art work by Leah Singer, is limited to 500 copies.

Be the first to review this record. Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!