Most Univers Zero recordings originally appeared on the small French Atem and Cyronic labels, and were not exactly easy to obtain at the time of their initial release. But the long out of print
Crawling Wind was recorded as an EP for Eastern Works, the Japanese division of Recommended Records (ReR), and it has achieved a kind of cult status over the years because of its even greater rarity. The original EP was recorded at what was quite possibly Univers Zero's creative peak, after their first three LPs and before they started moving away from acoustic chamber rock and toward a sound that was a little more conventionally electric. The three pieces on the EP (two studio recordings and one live track) are supplemented on Cuneiform's CD reissue with two additional live tracks, plus "Influences," a studio piece previously released only on ReR's 1983 two-disc
Rock in Opposition sampler, which featured other iconoclastic bands/artists of the time, such as
Art Bears,
Faust,
Henry Cow, and
Robert Wyatt. The mixture of studio and live tracks (and the different times and places of the recordings) doesn't allow
Crawling Wind to generate quite the intensity of
UZ's three prior recordings --
1313,
Heresie, and
Ceux Du Dehors. But with the exception of one early track from 1979 (an alternate live version of "Complainte," which appeared on
1313,
UZ's first release), all the tracks on the Cuneiform release were recorded from 1982-1984, and are mature examples of
UZ's unique gothic chamber rock sound, which featured a combination of strings (violin, cello, viola), woodwinds (clarinet, bassoon, oboe), and the powerful rhythm section of founder, leader, and primary composer
Daniel Denis on drums, and either
Guy Seger or
Christian Genet on bass. Univers Zero enthusiasts will know what to expect from the studio tracks, which project either the moody gloom of
Heresie ("Before the Heat"), or the ferocious, dissonant energy of
Ceux Du Dehors ("Toujours Plus à L'est," "Influences"). One of the two long live tracks, "Central Belgium in the Dark" (a verbal play, at least, on 20th century classical composer
Charles Ives' "Central Park in the Dark"), represents a slight change of pace for the band, as it is more loosely structured, with less ensemble playing and a more playful, improvised quality that is almost lyrical at times. "Triomphe des Mouches," while looser than a typical
UZ studio recording, is still typically heavy and relentless, with featured cello work by
Andre Mergenthaler, who uses his instrument's upper register at times to produce strangled, human-like cries. The three earlier Univers Zero reissues can probably be considered more essential than
Crawling Wind, but this CD definitely transcends the "for completists only" category, and is a worthy addition to Cuneiform's fine catalog of
UZ reissues.
¡Aquí!
All but a reunion of Van Der Graaf Generator in terms of personnel, and hearkening to the latter-day spirit in terms of some of the tone, Skin is nonetheless Peter Hammill continuing to declare his own direction minute by minute, rather than plotting overarching career goals. There is more of a dependence on MIDI on this album, and a lot of obvious keyboard support, but the core human players come through loud and clear, especially Guy Evans on drums and David Jackson on saxes. It is odd to hear Hammill belting his way through a song with the support of sampled and synthesized horns and a rocking beat, especially when the song is about the death of art ("Painting By Numbers"), but it's also a welcome relief -- that ability to flex is exactly the thing that has helped to keep the man's creative existence alive since 1967. The album is also highlighted by "Four Pails," a beautiful song by longtime Hammill confederate Chris Judge Smith. The album has had several CD releases, with the Fie! release having improved sound.
