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  • NOW

    ALP80

    Artist: Crescent

    Label: Atavistic

    Few of the lo-fi, noise-rock freak-outs of the ‘90s can claim to leave behind the amount of slow-motion wreckage Now does. One can only hope that every Crescent gig during this stage (meaning before they went sampling, electronic dub primitive) was played in a basement illuminated by a grand total of about two strings of Christmas lights and at such volume as to make one nauseous even if the music plodded by at twenty beats a minute. No other environment would really be acceptable. The liners say Now was recorded from September 9th to September 10th, 1994 and I hope that means it was recorded in one night rather than two days. It’s late night music if it ever existed.

    Crescent is basically Matt Jones (guitarist and head mumbler/screamer) and threatening bass grooves. With the core decided on, the twain culled various other musicians from the mid-‘90s Bristol area housing the likes of Flying Saucer Attack, Movietone, and Amp. There were singles (Oh, were there singles!) on Planet Punk but Now was the full-length introduction to the band. The album reuses “Sun” from the single/EP of the same name as its opener (with good reason) but everything else is newly minted.

    “Sun” uses that rave-up/lull formula so popular during the time (which I’ve never ever tired of, personally). Esophagus-ruining screaming is juxtaposed with shimmery, sideways guitars. “Superconstellation” is perhaps the album’s best groove situated on top of what seems to be a drone made out of French movie...

  • Electronic Sound Constructions

    ALP78

    Artist: Crescent

    Label: Atavistic

    Vintage gear driven, analogue-based instrumentals from Matt Jones & Co...Hauntingly Golden!

  • Sun Unit System

    ALP41

    Artist: Crescent

    Label: Atavistic

    Emerging as part of the loosely defined but still heavily intertwined post-rock scene of Bristol, England, Crescent had links to just about every other group of note in that particular array of bands. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Matt Jones played bass on a number of releases for Amp, as well as appearing in Movietone. Bassist Kate Wright also played in Movietone, handling guitars and vocals there, while Jones' guitar-playing brother Sam participated in Flying Saucer Attack at times.