Electric guitarist
Ray Russell holds no allegiance to tune forms, thematic sub-structures, or for that matter, musical common sense. A neophyte performer by all accounts, one could not possibly discern influences like
Jimi Hendrix,
Frank Zappa or
Jeff Beck, although
Derek Bailey and
Fred Frith might foreshadow
Russell's loud, jagged, clangy playing. This collection of spontaneous improvisations and occasional stated motifs are played with a band that only partially showcases the talented tenor saxophonist
Gary Windo and the legendary trumpeter
Harry Beckett. Bassist
Darryl Runswick is so far back in the mix as to be barely audible, while thrashing drummer
Alan Rushton mirrors the volume levels of
Russell perfectly. This album could easily have been done with just guitar and drums. Among the redeeming moments is an ABA song form for "Sweet Cauldron," sporting an actual nice melody in time, leading to an unrelated free trumpet solo bridge with
Russell on piano. A darker stance and tangible written melody line for "To See Through the Sky," with tenor and trumpet suggests an attempt at cohesion, as
Beckett steps up alongside
Rushton's loose drumming. The remainder of these tracks sound quite amateurish. "Spinetree" is a raw workout for
Windo's signature squawky sax with
Rushton and
Russell, "These That I Am" a self-indulgent, intense, very loud feedback laden trio discourse, and the flaying "There the Dance Is" a bit more co-op oriented with
Beckett and
Windo utilized as teammates instead of appendages, calmed later by the tenor.
Windo's pretty flute work crops up only on the snippet opener "Stained Angel Morning" with
Beckett's atypical off-key horn in a simple melodic Native American motif, but merges into "Spinetree" in an unsophisticated tone that remains for the rest of the album. The final selection, "Children of the Hollow Dawn" is blank. Had
Russell utilized his players better, the outcome of this recording might have yielded optimum results. As is, even the most challenged listeners might be scratching their collective heads.