Detailed Reviews [A Molotkov - 2005 - "Can You Stay Forever?"]

Prolusion. This is the first music-related brainchild of A MOLOTKOV, a poet, writer, filmmaker and visual artist from the USA.

Analysis. "Can You Stay Forever?" No, I will hardly stay this stuff even for one more time. This 61-minute CD contains 34 (!) tracks. It's just a set of exceptionally brief sketches with no common musical storyline, with nothing that would link them on the musical level. Instead of having an integral sonic palette, the pieces were built with semi-random sounds, even though these were elicited from acoustic instruments, most of which are exotic in addition. I don't know whether I should examine this project in the context of some modernist avant-garde, because it's certainly non-commercial in character. I also wouldn't say that it's free of any sort of progressiveness, but such concepts as form, harmony and arrangement are hardly applicable to this effort, at least in most cases. Instead, the stuff is more than merely abundant in monologs, speeches, colloquial 'effects' and, that being said, assorted noises. Well, some quasi melodies can be found on several pieces; at times appears a nice female vocalization with distinct oriental intonations, but everything is in an embryonic state, being heavily undeveloped. Only two or three tracks are done without the total domination of discretion, so loved by the project's creators, revealing truly sensible atonalities. The avant-garde music exists already for nearly 60 years (Avant-Rock for more than 30), and there are plenty of excellent examples in this field. This album is of another story; it's both too motley and monotonous, although the creators definitely had certain 'avant-garde' ambitions when worked on it.

Conclusion. Why did you need a musical background to read your verses, Mr. Molotkov? You'd better publish them and your music investigations separately. Without colloquial makeweights, many of the sketches could be used as the music for fairy-tale cartoon films, though before that, they should be elaborated, expanded and promptly developed. As to the CD in its current form, if you were hoping to astonish the progressive music lovers (no matter, whether they're into a traditional Prog Rock, Avant-Rock or into Classical music), I think you missed the mark.

VM: September 2, 2005