Wednesday 26 April 2017

American Cathexis came back in 1985 with a Tonal Vision





https://www.discogs.com/Cathexis-Tonal-Vision/release/5552882

One vocal track, a commercial compromise "radio friendly unit shifter", the rest instrumental mildly smooth fusion, plus a couple of total throwaways (calypso, or just garbage-o) make this a tad disappointing in comparison to its predecessor from the early eighties.  I think everyone has heard their 1982 masterpiece of sung fusion, information here.  In fact it came as quite a surprise to find out the band released a follow up, presumably their only other output.  It's clear it's the same band from the occasional chord changes here that sound quite reminiscent of the ST album.

First track (Pyrogliphics, by Jim Kuster):





It's not quite as pyro-dazzling as one would have hoped, after the extreme explorations of Herbie Hancock and others in the fusion wilderness, right?

The last track I found to be quite endearing as pianist Jim Kuster, here performing alone, really mashes together his classical education, with strong hints of Ravel and even Liszt, with a yearning to leave this earth on the fusion mothership:





Entitled Requiem - For Richard J. Kuster.  What do you think?  I go back to their first album and think how glorious the fusionary future seemed back then-- until that bloody British new wave and I want my MTV completely threw complex music under the (double decker) bus....  but it wasn't their fault.  Of course after achieving the summit of complexity, art has to fall back down to simplicity, we are only ordinary humans.


4 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Can you please reupload the album Tonal Vision? It'd be great.

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  3. reupped cathexis:
    https://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/1uee0b

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  4. Thanks for the superfast response and for all the great music.

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