Fuck Patrol - Courtship Disorder [Sweet Solitude - 2011]
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Fuck Patrol is a duo, consisting of Mr Richard Ramirez (Werewolf Jerusalem, et al) and Mr Mark Ward (Where Is This); and this is their second release- thier first release "Contact" appeared on southern US label Violent Noise Atrocities. Apart from being blessed with a quite unbeatable name, Fuck Patrol also have a very nice line in retro homoeroticism too - with iconic photos of strapping chaps from the 1950s (i’m assuming) adorning the covers. The disc has one long track of harsh noise. It kicks off with a sample of one man enquiring as to the possibility of another man coming again, then the hammer drops and the noise jolts in. Immediately the listener is plunged into a surging wall of low-mid frequency noise, with moaning bass and buried elements which sound junk-y at one point, then ethereal the next. Buckets have this similar quality when struck or thrown about: metallic clanging, but also more resonant tones - presumably from the bucket amplifying its own sounds. These buried sounds take on an increasingly mysterious nature, almost like a ghostly cheer; and they appear with more and more frequency, becoming an integral part of the overall sound, rather than a mere detail. The churning low-end does dominate overall proceedings, but from time to time the crackling treble raises its head above the surface. Its only about halfway through that these treble frequencies finally come out to play, smashing in waves against the low-mid foundation. From here on, the track does noticeably increase in intensity; until, by the end, the bass is really pressurising the wall of noise. The twenty-six minute track climaxes with another sample, that answers the question set up by the first sample.
This is a fine piece of harsh noise, but one that straddles the line with HNW. It clearly displays HNW’s preoccupation and care with texture; and, indeed, whilst there is change and movement, that change and movement is all within quite restricted parameters. Its a very immersive recording, with the brain looking behind and below the blizzard of the mid-frequencies to find other things - and find things it does. During the course of “Courtship Disorder”, I could hear: voices, someone thrashing about in the background, ghostly synth tones and someone singing to themselves (sometimes a playful child, sometimes an elderly woman with dwindling cognitive abilities). Its almost like standing before a waterfall, with persons unknown committing acts unknown behind it… Hopefully theres a lot more to come from Fuck Patrol.
4/5 - Martin P -
MusiqueMachine
Fuck Patrol - Contact [Violent Noise Atrocities - 2011]
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Fuck Patrol is an transatlantic harsh noise collaboration between two gay ‘n’ proud noise artists, and “contact” is the projects first sonic fruits. The two piece brings together Texas noise legend and multi project linked Richard Ramirez, and Irish based Mark Ward of quirky harsh noise/HNW project Where is This & owner of excellent Irish noise label Bored Bear. This first release comes in the form of a 3inch CDR which features three tracks that hit between just over the three minute mark to just shy of ten minute mark a piece- with the two longer tracks been wrapped around middle short three minute track. The projects sound really is a nice mix of both parties sounds with Ramirez thick and seared noise textures raging against Wards quirky & sometimes harmonic bound noise craft. The tracks here are a rewarding mixture of harsh noise, brutal industrial texturing, a few active HNW dwells, mashed up and melted easy listening harmonic trails, and gay porn movie samples.
All told “Contact” is a rewarding and worthy start to this new project, and I’m sure it will be of interest to fans of Ramirez more active Harsh noise work and Wards quirky yet brutal noise attacks.
3/5 - Roger Batty-
MusiqueMachine
