John Clyde-Evans - "Apetal Thunderfall"

John Clyde-Evans - Star Trualx (Digitalis 2007)

John Clyde-Evans - Apetal Thunderfall / Digitalis

The artwork for Apetal Thunderfall may look like that Smashing Pumpkins heart if Louis Wain had drawn it in his later days, but don't be put off: John Clyde-Evans is emphatically not interested in making the next Zeitgeist. Thank heavens, as there's already too many of them.

Instead, Mr. Clyde-Evans has undergone an interesting transformation in light of a year spent in the Punjab region of India. If you're a world music skeptic and are especially leery of Indian music thanks in large part to videos like this,



then you'll be comforted to know that Apetal Thunderfall isn't anything like "Dance Raja Dance," either. Thank heavens, as there's already enough of them (although, with respect to both Clyde-Evans and Viyanand, "Dance Raja Dance" is peerless and it is unlikely music will again sound so ruthlessly optimistic).

Instead, Mr. Clyde-Evans has taken everything he's learned while studying in Punjab and under his Sikh name Tirath Singh Nirmala and constructed a beautifully abrasive set of drones and audio epics that is quite rightly noted for being cathartic.

You don't really feel the effects of his Indian escapade immediately. Instead, he lets it build over the course of these three songs, starting off with the title-track. John has made a conscious decision to move away from pastoral anthems past and his new skull-driving menace flashes its pearly whites in high-pitched whistles and thudding drums. Over nearly 13 minutes, Clyde-Evans grates and grinds and drills ever further inward, hoping to leave an Eastern rust behind when he pulls out.

"Star Trualx" is a much easier on the ears with its divebombing analog and hoarse manipulations. Wrapping up in a relatively succinct ten minutes, "Star Trualx" feels deceptively short. It never wears out on you and it's all the more enjoyable for its less confrontational sound.

20-minute closer "Cutting Down Orange Towers" confirms that, while John might've been away in the East, his sensibilities never veer very far from contemporary noiseniks such as Black Dice (who are obvious reference points if not obvious influences) and Yellow Swans. Ironically, this song most obviously displays the tricks he learned in Punjab with a sitar ride of sorts swinging back and forth throughout the space that Clyde-Evans gives the music. There's a lot of room to breathe and that's refreshing, except when that air feels like lead in your pipes as on the opening title-track. In fact, Apetal Thunderfall ends quiet like the album's name suggests: Light and mobile under sunny conditions, yet hampered by rain when the clouds come to greet.

This juxtaposition makes for great reading material and a tidy ending to this modest post, but believe me when I say it makes for better listening. Even if you aren't changed as Mr. Clyde-Evans was after his year abroad, hopefully you will be able to feel and sense what he has gone through. It's that personal connection that this album works to make happen. All you have to do is promise you'll stay to see the end. For a few moments you'll even forget all about "Dance Raja Dance."