kRé - Ruido Doméstico - 2002
“The sound laboratory, a fulminant sound is needed
…”
“El laboratorio de sonido, se necesita el ruido fulminante …”
“kRé is a common space where we may improvise
our differences”
“kRé es un espacio común donde podemos improvisar
nuestras diferencias”
intro
First I have to say something about the label on which this album is released. Musical Mind is a label from Venezuela who releases different styles of music, and they have divided the music into several divisions. They have the guts to start also a “Prog Mind Division”. The first two progressive releases are this kRé album and the Pig Farm On The Moon album (see the review in this October update). Both bands are from Venezuela. The kRé album “Ruido Doméstico” is described as “complex and dark atmospheres that combines sounds common to the jazz/rock, psychedelia and progressive genres”. My compliments go to the people who had the courage to choose this album as their first release. Not many companies dare to take such risks. You can draw the conclusion that the music comes in the first place. And that’s the way it should be. I don’t know anything about this band. So I presume that this is their debut album.
line-up
The Musicians:
Rubén D’Hers – Guitars,
Rhodes, Piano, Violin, Cello, Pizzicato, Percussion; Raúl
Monsalve – 4 and 6 strings bass, Roland JP-4, Bells; Hugo
Marmol – Drums, Percussion
Guests: José “Chemi” Gutierrez – Rhodes, Roland JP-4; Pablo García – Tenor; Anna Rosa Rodríguez – Cello, Vocals.
review
The nine tracks of the album are described by Rubén
D’Hers as follows:
“1.-Para esconderse [To hide], 2.-Para partir
de … [To depart from …], 3.-Para arriesgar [To risk], 4.-Para
hacer viajes [To trip], 5.-Para mirar hacia arriba [To look up and hesitate],
6.-Para golpear el Piano [To hit the piano], 7.-Para tocar la puerta [To
knock the door], 8.-Para lanzar objetos por la ventana [To throw objects
through a window], 9.-Para ver el humo y hacer una inmersión a
las 5 P.M. [To stare at the smoke and dive at 5 p.m.”
The first track is called “Primera cortada” (6:39). The basis of kRé music is the classic trio line-up with guitar, bass and drums. The “guest” instruments are the Rhodes piano and the tenor sax. It looks like, that those instruments are improvising over the musical themes. The sounds of Rhodes give the music a Jazz/Rock ambiance and the playing of tenor sax reminds me of the early King Crimson albums. The second track “Doro” (6:29) opens relaxed like a ballad and I see images of American movies in my mind. But it develops into more complex rhythms with King Crimson (newer style) references and funky Jazz/Rock rhythms. In “Tate quieto” (4:30) the tenor sax and the Rhodes are playing solo’s over the funky rhythm section. The name of Bill Bruford’s band Earthworks came into my mind. “Onírico” (3:18) is a short up-tempo jazzy composition where the guitar is the main instrument. The title track “Ruido Doméstico” (6:59) is more experimental and spacey. There are no bass and drums in this track. The guitar is now only combined with a Roland JP-4 and a cello. The end is very ambient like the solo work of Robert Fripp. “Ilvico” (4:09) starts up-tempo with good drumwork and a lot of percussion. Sometimes the guitar playing also reminds of a band like U2. “Sigiloso” (4:47) is again a jazzy composition with the return of the tenor sax and the Rhodes. Guest Pablo García gets room to play a long freaky sax solo. “Champignón” (4:36) I would like to describe as a funny composition with some dark complex intermezzos. I’m afraid you have to hear this to understand what I mean. The last and longest track “Ornamento” (10:42) is my favorite. The relaxed intro slowly builds up the tension to the middle section with good up-tempo drumwork. Later on we get again a slow part with atmospherically sax and Rhodes sounds. In the end there is a reference to King Crimson.
conclusion
Well this is not everybody’s “cup of tea”. You must be open for improvisation and jazz styles. The only keyboards which are used on this album are the Rhodes and the Roland JP-4. Together with the tenor sax it gives the music a specific atmosphere. I would advice the more progressive fans to listen to this album. This is nothing for the standard Neo-Prog fan. People who are open to music of bands like the old King Crimson and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, have a better chance. But it is a good and interesting debut album.