Glenn Branca--Symphony Nos. 8 & 10: Live At The Kitchen
MVD/Atavistic 2004
Glenn Branca has built himself a legendary reputation over the years by taking the dissonant melodicism of no wave and turning it into something symphonic. If you aren't already familiar with his work, suffice to say, it's as complex and brilliant as that description would imply. On this DVD, Symphony Nos. 8 & 10: Live At The Kitchen, you're blessed with the opportunity to not only hear but see how this incredible noise comes together.
At various points in the past, Branca's ensemble has included members of Sonic Youth, Swans, and Band Of Susans. Branca's material will certainly appeal to fans of those bands. Considering that these compositions are built on dissonance, that should come as surprise to no one. Amazingly, even though this stuff is more involved than the pop-based forms utilized by those three bands, it should be stated that the melodic tint of Branca's compositions is much easier to pick out than you'd expect. This music hums, buzzes, and trembles like an agitiated hornet's nest, yet comes together and approximates the sound of a traditional symphony orchestra in stunning fashion. This material is as powerful as it is brilliant.
For diehards, or even curious observers, the real treat of this DVD is being able to witness the mechanism of the music in action. It is amazing to see Branca guide these ten musicians through movement after movement (assistant conductor/ensemble musician Miriam McDonough takes the helm for one of the four movements), creating one of the most passionate and epic feeling walls of sound ever. It's incredible just how beautiful the result is. The real importance of this footage might be to casual fans of the style, though. It affirms what a precision proposition it is to make this kind of music--this is not random noise for the sake of random noise. Every action here has intent and purpose.
Symphony Nos. 8 & 10: Live At The Kitchen is a compelling view, to say the least. For those who've been hip to Branca's stuff for years, this will be like laying eyes on lost treasure. For the uninitiated, or unconvinced, this DVD probably won't make you like the music any more than before, but you'll certainly understand it much better.
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