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15-18 – BACK TO 14-18 (CD by DeDieux / \ SuccoAcido)
Everyday you learn something: “In Italy until the late twentieth century it was quite common among older men and women to use expressions such as: “that person is from 15/18, you are from 15/18, a thing from 15/18”, to define or indicate something or someone as old-fashioned, belonging to another era. Originally the epithet referred – with abundant clarity – to completely unsuccessful people or businesses.” 15-18 is an Italian group with Nicola Greco, Pietro Palazzo, Domenico Salamone, Federico Cardaci and Marc De Dieux, or keyboard, Brazilian percussions, objects, guitars, mandolins, guitar, iPad and traditional percussion and in the space of one day in 2015 they recorded the fifteen pieces on this CD. The band refers to this as ‘primitive chamber music’ and indeed it sounds like a few people locked in a room with a microphone set up, taped these improvisations. A bit of no wave like, but very much coming a more rock group background. It has a very intimate sound, nothing extreme or distortion, but at the same also not very quiet either. They doodle about which is always a good way to pass your time, but I must admit that 69 minutes is a bit too much of this. One wishes for a good bit of noise to drop by, a loud drum solo or someone singing a traditional blues song along with this. But that doesn’t happen and they drag on with mild dissonant guitar bits, obscured drum sounds and free form song structures. I was reminded of DDAA here and there. I think a recording of this on a multi-track machine, with someone mixing this together would certainly have been an option, as it would, perhaps, have brought some variation in the music, emphasizing certain elements or leaving out others for a while. Now the whole stick a microphone in the air approach and document all that is happening certainly a tiring feel to it. (FdW)