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Ute Wassermann: Strange Songs

By John Eyles
July 31, 2023
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Although it was recorded in 2015, at Studioboerne45 Berlin, it took several years for Strange Songs to see the light of day. The album sleeve dates its release as 2022, but its arrival on vinyl and its launch event did not happen until July 2023, marked by two well-attended

Ute Wassermann

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Ute Wassermann performances at Caf�� Oto in London. Across the two days, in addition to two solo sets, Wassermann performed in a quintet with Spring Heel Jack (John Coxon and Ashley Wales), saxophonist

Evan Parker

saxophone, soprano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Evan Parker and drummer

Mark Sanders

drums
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Sanders, and a quartet with vocalist

Phil Minton

vocals
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Phil Minton, pianist

Pat Thomas

piano
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Thomas and drummer

Roger Turner

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Roger Turner.

Those line-ups were fitting as Strange Songs was released on Spring Heel Jack's Treader label as an LP, Treader having long ago ceased releasing CDs. In keeping with the label's renowned artwork on its CD covers, the LP sleeve of Strange Songs features an embossed gold picture of a bird—a Ring Ousel, actually. Wassermann's previous release on Treader was Spukhafte Fernwirkung in 2014 by fORCH/Furt and featured the combined voices of Wassermann and Minton; another fORCH album, Spin Networks, also with Wassermann and Minton, had been released on Parker's Psi label in 2007.

Remarkably, for the album's ten tracks, which play for forty-three-and-a-half minutes, Wassermann performs alone, credited with voice plus ten instruments, most of the latter being bird whistles. She says she has a large collection of bird whistles, with some dating back decades and others imitating species which are long since extinct. Such variety ensures that the tracks sound very different, despite the track names being very similar. As she did at Caf�� Oto, Wassermann gives a bravura vocal performance which goes way beyond the boundaries of "vocals," encompassing guttural growls, throat singing amplified by a contact mike, soaring whoops, nose flute and the ever-present assortment of whistles. While Minton himself and Tuvan throat singer Sainkho Namtchylak may occasionally spring to mind for comparison purposes, the truth is that Wassermann is unique and unrivalled. She has made many fine albums in the company of others, but to hear Wassermann alone is to hear her at her free, unfettered best. Although the album took seven years to arrive, the end product is more than worth it.

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Track Listing

Strange Song 1; Strange Song 2; Strange Song 3; Strange Song 4; Strange Song 5; Strange Song 6; Strange Song 7; Strange Song 8; Strange Song 9; Strange Song 10.

Personnel

Ute Wassermann

vocals

Additional Instrumentation

Ute Wassermann: Duck Whistle, Blackbird Whistle, Black Grouse Whistle, Guan Whistle, Jacu Whistle, Kiskadee Whistle, Larch Whistle, Nose Flute, Palate Whistle, Sparrow Whistle.

Album information

Title: Strange Songs | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Treader

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