??!! THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES
posted by on May 16 at 16:30 PM
MUSIC CONNECTS ALL.
Sorry to get all metaphysical up in this piece, but the synchronicity is too fucking perfect to ignore: As the comments thread on Eric’s hippies ‘n’ banjos post touched on ancient Pythagorean musical theory and its modern-day implications, I’ve been editing a story about Secret Chiefs 3, whose ringleader, Trey Spruance, considers himself a neo-Pythagorist, a student of the Greek philosopher’s theories about the “music of the spheres.”
If you haven’t dug into Secret Chiefs 3, now’s the time. Led by Spruance, abetted by Seattle violinist/noisemeister Eyvind Kang, SC3 play a galloping, schizoid mix of Middle Eastern classical, midnight surf rock, death metal, Bollywood big band, and Ennio Morricone soundtrack grandeur. It’s truly, extraordinarily weird stuff, and occassionally totally awesome.
While the music is full-blown head-exploding, the symbology that Spruance layers in the band’s song and album titles and album art is what really draws me in. Numerology, Satanism, Kabbalah, Islamic mysticism—all sorts of intriguing occultism shows up in their work. It’s totally fun, absorbing stuff and even somewhat enlightening. If you’re into enlightenment, that is.
I wrote one of my favorite Pitchfork reviews ever about the band. They inspire a wonderful type of madness like nobody else.
Secret Chiefs 3 play Neumo’s Tuesday, May 29.
well all because of the banjo guy we get to hear about the SC3..how rad!
The End Times and The 4 (Great Ishraqi Sun) are two songs I could listen to forver.
Eyvind Kang played well last spring at the same event the harmonic overtone singers performed. It was in a school of some sort - Kang in a cabin room with 2 other string players, and the singers in the gym. The highlight was an exhibit by i think a distant relative of Sean from Tullycraft; she did a soundscape thing with dried flowers and a diary of poetry written in Icelandic.
Also, DJ FITS was great tonight at Baltic Room. Did he play a Bull & the Heather remux or was that the guy after him?
That was me!
noisemeister Eyvind Kang
You've never heard his music, have you?
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