GAK EP / Expert Knob Twiddlers

I read in an interview that it took one weekend and that it was the only album RDJ's made while drunk.

"Oh yeah, don't do anything creative with drugs. It's just a bit of escape, like a laugh. I like to be totally straight, when I do my music, so I can think about what I'm doing. I don't like being stoned. And I could never do stuff pissed. Well, I've done some stuff pissed. I did some stuff with Mike Paradinas -- the Mike and Rich album -- most of that was done drunk and on acid, as well."

you are correct as well

  On 4/14/2010 at 4:41 AM, bubbhasdance said:

"Oh yeah, don't do anything creative with drugs. It's just a bit of escape, like a laugh. I like to be totally straight, when I do my music, so I can think about what I'm doing. I don't like being stoned. And I could never do stuff pissed. Well, I've done some stuff pissed. I did some stuff with Mike Paradinas -- the Mike and Rich album -- most of that was done drunk and on acid, as well."

Shows. I'll formulate a more concrete opinion later. Suffice to say when I was listening to Ziq (first IDM artist I discovered) and stumbled across Mike & Rich I was horrified. Mr Frosty must have been worth keeping as I still have that.

it's the best drunken recorded music i've ever heard.

I love this album. What I like about it is that it makes really good music funny. It sounds so silly and childish, while at the same time it carries a lot of emotion and musical talent. This really shows in the track "Bu bu bu ba" which sounds very silly, to the point of being humourous, yet it has a very effective atmosphere which can make one feel genuinely sad. It takes real talent to be able to do that.

Mr Frosty - This is a really groovy track with an amazing atmosphere carried by a set of beautiful strings. Gives me brainfreeze.

Jelly Fish - Lively, feelgood electronic madness with xylophone beats and delicious high-pitched squeals (which I LOVE).

Eggy Toast - A steady rhythm carried by a line of rattling percussion adds to a great atmosphere generated by a series of synths and bleeps. Lovely.

Reg - Great beats and melodies, and you gotta love those vocals, even if they are impossible to write down. What really sells this track for me is the whistling, starting at 2:07, setting a perfect harmony with the vocals. And it's funny.

Vodka - This track is listed in my "Manic Playlist" of tracks that are insanely hyper and energetic. And with good reason, it sounds absolutely crazy! Full of manic melodies and balmy beats. At 2:48, everything stops and a new melody gets your full attention. But the truly great moment happens just afterwards at 3:00 when it all jumps into action again.

Winner Takes All - This one has a great melody that gets more and more powerful as new layers are added. Great fun to listen to.

Giant Deflating Football - Wow, at first this sounds like the soundtrack to an old cartoon. Then that melody comes in... bursting with sillyness. There's a kind of rhythm created by the sound of air being pumped.

Upright Kangaroo - Again, this is a lot of fun to listen to. It has some great melodies, and nice percussion sounds.. but.. well, it's full of burps and belches.

The Sound Of Beady Eyes - Now this is simply beautiful. Nearly eight minutes of perfection, the very best melodies and harmonies mixed with exquisite percussive rhythms. And it has such a great ending.

Bu Bu Bu Ba - The soundtrack for emo clowns, this terrific end to the album features the saddest, most sensitive textures and emotions. It gets more and more heartbreaking as it progresses, with a chorus of "wwwa-waaaou, wa-waauaaaaou" getting attention. More layers are added, each one sadder than the last, but it really brings out the beautiful side to sadness. And it manages to do this while being funny. True talent, my friends.

My Mike & Rich best to worst:

Vodka

Bu Bu Bu Ba

The Sound of Beady Eyes

Jelly Fish

Mr. Frosty

Giant Deflating Football

Reg

Winner Takes All

Eggy Toast

Upright Kangaroo

That just about covers it. A truly great album with unique tones and feelings I haven't heard on many other releases, if any.

nothing but love for EKT

my sunny day RDJ album of choice, for when I've been listening to too much Vibert but I still need my dose of goofy/groovy acid funk

GAK is great in its own way, maybe a bit simplistic compared to his other stuff but that's not always a bad thing

I really don't like either. Too repetitive/monotonous.

GAK is all about minimalism. Recorded in 1990, it consists mainly of simple rhythms and melodies that come together to be surprisingly effective.

GAK 1 - For me, this seems to go on for too long. The opening is very simple, with an unappetizing melody and repetitive beats. But about a third of the way through, a lovely piano riff comes in. It rejoices with another piano riff, and at 3:24, some beautiful vocals enhance the mood. The good part of the song kind of stops and starts for the rest of the track.

GAK 2 - This track starts with the most exquisite, minimalist rhythm. Dum - tap - Da dum - tap - Dum - tap - Dum - tap. It goes on to become something quite spooky, especially when the bass comes in. It harmonizes with a set of ghostly synths. The way it collapses at 5:20 is perfect, it almost makes you think the CD is skipping.

GAK 3 - Time for something lively. This bouncy little number jumps up and down all over the place, with fast-paced percussion and rhythmic melodies. I have no idea what that eerie tune is doing here, it doesn't really add much. He could have evolved it into something that kept to the feelgood, energetic feel of the beginning. Still, it's a great track.

GAK 4 - My favourite GAK of all. Sublime, laid back melodies and delicious beats all the way through. And when that chorus comes in, well, that is something beautiful, full stop. How could anyone not love that? Just heavenly.

Regarding my GAK best to worst, I'd say the EP begins with it's worst track, and the next tracks gradually improve.

GAK 4

GAK 3

GAK 2

GAK 1

That about wraps it up. I can't believe I have nearly three hours of music to review next week...

EKT is the funniest, most humorous music I know.

It sometimes makes me laugh and I think with music without any text, this is very hard to accomplish.

EKT is a fun album.

Gak is boring to me.

Some nice tracks on EKT, The Sound of Beady Eyes is my favourite. Never understood the love for Bubububaba though.