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NOTES:
Pilesar- percussion, vocals, toys, effects, post-production
Tracks 1-3 recorded live at the DC Arts Center by Chris Videll on February 11th, 2009
Track 4 recorded live at the Luck of the Draw event by Chris Videll on February 15th, 2009
Track 5 recorded live at the Pyramid Atlantic
by Daniel Barbiero on April 19th, 2009
Cover photo by Chester Hawkins
Special thanks to Jeff Bagato, Daniel Barbiero, Chester Hawkins,
Amanda Novcic, Doug Stailey, Jeff Surak and Chris Videll
REVIEWS:
Pilesar is a master of the 'I wonder what would happen if I did this' school of music composition as Snort Thruster adequately shows. Whatever it is, it always manages to plaster a huge shit eating grin on my face and judging by this live track, the audience's too. Essentially Snort Thruster is a rhythmic exercise using voices and drums which doesn't sound up to much when written down like that but provides over five minutes of ridiculously good aural entertainment with its echoes of the wonderful Bobby McFerrin. It's just the man and his assortment of tape machines, rhythm and percussion tools and the seat of his pants and it works wonderfully. IMHO, Pilesar is one of the most innovative, intriguing and hard working experimentalists around and if you haven't tasted this (very) strange fruit yet, it's about time you did.
Class musical lunacy, LIVE. MUST HAVE.
--Reviewed by Steve Gilmore, Rebelriffs 3-15-09
This (Snort Thruster) is the very first tune from Pilesar’s very first solo show, and what a shocking first impression it makes! Not coming from any direction that I could have predicted, a low fast rhythm of some sort of bizarre scat-singing pours forth, setting up a wonderfully unique atmosphere within which this tune begins to thrive and evolve. A tribal feel. Giving me an immediate ‘meat turning on a spit, over a fire with cannibals dancing’ kind of an image. From above comes a high female voice in a longer melody, melding into the rhythm, catchy as all get out, and confirming that this is quickly moving into completely new territory for the ears. A tambourine joins in giving your head one more reason to be bobbing, and your toe another for tapping. I involuntarily started chuckling when next an even higher octave version of the female vocals comes in, and I can hear some people from the audience having the same reaction. Amazingly clever and humorous sounds blending together in a fresh and engaging chant… fantastic.
I would be proud of this if it was a studio work of mine, and this is live! There’s a lot of interesting changes. More vocal instruments, more percussive instruments… things coming and going, energies building up and breaking down, nothing where it’s expected. Pilesar’s works are very easy to listen to and tricky to describe, I encourage you to click on the link above and check it out, you’ll see what I mean. I’ve a few CDs of Pilesar’s and would like to make some general statements about his music.
First of all there’s an enormous amount of creative energy that goes into every one of his works, and he has a great ear for tones too. Anyone who takes the time to listen closely will find much of it to be mind-boggling. Perhaps it not a profound insight for me to say that the person with a percussive mind is far better equipped for invention and experimentation than anyone else.
So, if you love music that avoids all limitations and boundaries, make sure you give this artist a try, you won’t be wasting your time.
--Reviewd by Thielus Grenon, Soundclick 3-23-09
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