Scott Kelly and I have been friends for ten years. Even though in that decade his life often played out like a protagonist from a particularly relentless Greek Tragedy, I assure you he is flesh and blood. It seems only fitting that the latest outing to come from the extremely prolific Neurosis/Tribes of Neurot clan should be this disarmingly mortal release from Blood and Time entitled At The Foot Of The Garden.
Scott Kelly and Neurosis bandmate Noah Landis, with help from Anthony Edwards, have created a staggering, stark work that will survive long after their forms are reduced to dust. Listening to this record, it seems like this was evident to them and weighed heavily in the process of creating this record. At The Foot Of The Garden is remarkable for its honesty alone. It is so deeply personal it makes one uncomfortable.
Like all things Neurosis, it is amazingly dark without being pretentious. It is heavy without sonic volume. The ten songs here fumble naked through darkened corridors and beg to be heard. Each note plods along moving inch by inch towards your heart, not terribly unlike the band's name, Blood and Time. These songs are more like confessions and whispered secrets, songs that are years of profound sorrow slowly exhaling as Scott Kelly settles into what will be the rest of his life. This fact makes this record comforting after being uncomfortable. After watching Neurosis mature over the years, Blood and Time just seems to fit into the equation. A moving testament to human endurance and humility.
(Aesop, San Francisco, 2003)
Scott Kelly
The Wake
NR060
In James Joyce's Dublin the streets inhale and exhale an Irishness that is so fundamentally elemental that it's more a part of the landscape than the actual landscape which is to say: his books are more real than the real space they describe. And so it is with SCOTT KELLY, great guitar griot and founder of NEUROSIS [see below], and his Wake. Or THE WAKE, to be precise. Its reality supersedes the place, the space and the particulars that gave birth to it. Mixing imagery that borders on a bold and stark contemplation of the limits of our earthly existence via our failed loves, efforts, conceits and even our less than noble other failures [blissfully unspecified and probably unnecessary to HAVE them specified: if you're ALIVE the blanks are easy enough to fill in], THE WAKE with its lion-in-the-winter woe wrenches the almost inexpressibly sad into seven songs that sound like what you hear when you're just about to not hear anything anymore.
"The weather never changes in my world." – Kelly
And with the band that gave birth to him, the name and game transformed while you watch, if you've been watching, from 1985 to now and right on through to the rest of forever: Neurosis, a 5-piece projectile that despite the accolades has not managed to have anybody get it right yet about why they are great, good or as interesting as they are.
You see Neurosis, despite all the chatter about "heavy metal" this and "doom-crunch" that, lay a serious and earnest claim to being standard bearers for the most significant, but as-of-yetunnamed plot of real estate yet: fucking musical art. And in this instance artistry. Twenty-three years of deep shit involvement with everybody from Steve Albini to Jarboe, 10 albums, even more than that when you factor in 7 inches, DVDs, "official" bootlegs, side projects and more shows than the average music fan has even ever seen has crystallized Neurosis into a starkly effective delivery vehicle for the impending end times.
In an age when music has become Kleenex, there is occasionally that which transcends commodity and Neurosis is it. Weaving earth-based imagery with blood-based realities Neurosis may go on being misunderstood, or understood for the wrong reasons, or misunderstood for the right ones but they will never be lost on ME, at least. For me Neurosis is the sound of man struggling with the gods. A good fight if there ever was one.
Goddamned right.
With an acoustic guitar and a croon that crams the lilt, lift and longing of several lives well lived into 5-some-odd minutes of every song this record would not only not have been possible at any other point in either his life, or ours for that matter, than now, it also seems to suggest the shape of beyond-now: thin and on fire.
Enjoy it. Time is short.(Eugene S. Robinson,2008)
Scott Kelly/Blood and Time's Friend Space (Top 23)
Massive events happening @ Club Blink & Trash this Easter weekend!
Thursday April 9: Club Blink Rock Party! (wear big sunny's for $5 entry) Kurt Cobain Tribute! Live bands: BURNING BROOKLYN, FIVE HUNDRED PIECES & DRAW CARD
Saturday April 11: Triple J Album Launch Party! CD Give-away's!
Sunday April 12: Live Bands: WISH FOR WINGS, STATE OF INTEGRITY! + MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE AFTERPARTY!
As well as all this we've got our sexy DJ's bustin' out your favourite tunes until dawn!
BZURK, SNOWFLAKE, TRIPP & SPIDERBABY
xxx
Come check out club 299 in the valley this week for our Friday the 13th zombie dress up party at BLINK and our Kings of Leon tribute and bands THE CITY SHAKE UP, WEARING ROSCO and MINUSPENNY. Happy Hour 9-10pm with half price drinks and we have our sexy DJ's TRIPP and SPIDERBABY DJ'ing all your fav Blink and Trash tunes till the sun comes up!
check out www.myspace.com/blinkbrisbane for blink and www.myspace.com/trashbrisbane for more info!
What's shakin?
<br />Just wanted to let ya know that the Clowns vs. Ninjas music video is up now-( for our song YOU GOT IT)!! To view the short version, please go to our myspace page, clownsvsninjascom., or youtube .This film is completely independent, done by us, Pitch films, and our friends. Also, a brand new EP and new tunes on the playa. Hope ya dig it. If you do, please pass it on to a friend. Enjoy the carnage!
<br /> It's a hell of a ride
<br />Hope You're well
<br />-The Other Side of Morning
Scott thank you for having the courage to make such brutally honest music. I have been deeply moved by The Wake. Anxiously awaiting the next Blood and Time recordings.
If you enter http://www.myspace.com/asymmetrypl and vote for Forge Of Clouds, only good things will happen to you within next hour.
Addidtionally, If you convince your family, friends and colleagues to vote for Forge Of Clouds, good things will keep happening to you in next 2 hours!!
THIS S#!T REALLY WORKS!!
Look at Axl Rose!! He voted for Forge Of Clouds and he FINALLY released the "Chinese Democracy" thing!!
Well, ok, honestly - we will very much appreciate your votes and support in our struggle to enter Asymetry Festival.
BEst Regards
Forge OF Clouds
ps.George W. Bush didn't vote for us and...well...just look at him now...you really want to end up like him??
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