While the sound collage of Negativland's first three studio albums pointed in the band's ultimate direction, they were really rough sketches compared to Escape From Noise. Escape is a full-on audio assault, more musical than ever, but with tight and well-constructed sound sections thrown in. Instead of simply a collection of sounds and snippets, however, each cut on Escape From Noise picks a target and takes aim. "Quiet Please" takes on market research in the world of radio. "Michael Jackson" is a laundry list of pop stars being charged with creating commercial pop. "Sycamore" turns happy, shiny, new pre-planned communities into something far more sinister. Although some other tracks ("Yellow, Black and Rectangular," "Car Bomb") don't really take on particular targets, they're fun nonetheless. Probably the most accomplished piece is the strangely creepy "Time Zones," which talks about how many time zones there are in the Soviet Union (there are 11, by the way, and it's not even funny). Although it wasn't apparent at the time, the centerpiece of the album would be "Christianity Is Stupid," a prime example of how sound bites can be rearranged to say whatever you want them to say. (The full sound bites appear on the album Helter Stupid, the first half of which was inspired by a media frenzy after the band suggested that a murder may be attributable to "Christianity Is Stupid," as an excuse to get out of having to tour in the wake of this album, which turned out to be a much bigger success than anyone expected.) Scattered throughout the album are unexpected guest appearances from some of the biggest names in underground music, including Jello Biafra on "toilet flushing," the Residents on "hoots and clanging," and the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart on mouth sounds and "processed animals." In addition to better-constructed material, the production quality on Escape From Noise is also top-notch, making it a joy to listen to. Although future works would prove more controversial, this is probably Negativland's masterwork.
As a corporate entity the UMN was the best indication of the possibilities. But the personalization aspects were missed. How about the little dealy on the Star Trek guys shirts? What powers did it have? Talk? Listen? Get answers? What else ...?
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Welcome to The Best Cuts of Music in space ace ace ace! Hosts Robe Flax and Sam Houser have wrapped up their 4 part quadrilogy. The show begins at the International Space Station and ends back on Earth with much fanfare and a gaudy outward display of revelry. We hope you've enjoyed the adventure and the ride. Tune in next week for more silliness, horseplay, mischief, clowning, monkey business, ...
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I like it when artists make their first track a sort of introduction or welcome to the rest of the album. It sort of lays down the law of the rest of the album. I also like tracks like this as they make for excellent openers to a mix CD. Do any of you have faves like this?
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Take one minute and twenty six seconds to marvel at an incredible performance under seemingly insurmountable odds. Afflicted with the greatest concert malady imaginable, this gutty performer is the living embodiment of the "show must go on" mantra. Truly amazing.
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I knew there was some band in the back of my mind that was urging me to make it a mog subject. It's the Northern California multi-media hacker collective NEGATIVLAND!Brought to life in the 80's when Mark Hosler, Don Joyce and Chris Griegg began hosting "Over Ther Edge" on radio KPFA. They used many forms of pranksterism in their work such as phone calls, ripped off sound bites from famous band...
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As a corporate entity the UMN was the best indication of the possibilities. But the personalization aspects were missed. How about the little dealy on the Star Trek guys shirts? What powers did it have? Talk? Listen? Get answers? What else ...?
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Announcement |
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| 2 Quiet Please |
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| 3 Michael Jackson |
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| 4 Escape From Noise |
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| 5 The Playboy Channel |
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| 6 Stress In Marriage |
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| 7 Nesbitt's Lime Soda Song |
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| 8 Over The Hiccups |
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| 9 Sycamore |
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| 10 Car Bomb |
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| 11 Methods Of Torture |
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| 12 Yellow Black And Rectangular |
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| 13 Backstage Pass |
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| 14 Christianity Is Stupid |
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| 15 Time Zones |
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| 16 You Don't Even Live Here |
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| 17 The Way Of It |
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| 18 Endscape |
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Click to purchase…
© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "Escape from Noise")
