Matthew Levinson

Biting off more than they can chew

Published on 15/10/06
by matt

frigid.jpg

The last ever party from Sydney crew Frigid, on June 10, featured Mark N and Luke Vibert, as well as some of Sydney’s finest record players. Not necessarily the biggest names, definitely no Mark Dynamix or Pee-Wee Ferris action, but all the people playing play great music, from cut-up industrial hip hop and dubstep to seductive Krautrock and psychedelic garage. Frigid was the centre of the electronic scene in Sydney for 10 years, so the gig was well attended, and the music was hot, to say the least. (The panorama above was taken/assembled by Superlight who also VJed on the night)

The great thing was the best acts of the night came out of that Frigid community. And, for me, the highlight was Tooth. On record, they create a warm, sparkling and inviting sound. Live it’s that much more multilayered and plain beautiful – this particular gig featured a huge lineup including Peter Hollo from FourPlay. I sat there with a handful of friends, in the middle of the cavernous upstairs room at the Newtown RSL, skin tingling at the immense and beguiling sound. Here’s a review I wrote on their last album, Mudlarking.

Mudlarking is the exquisitely crafted third album from Sydney trio Tooth. Where the group’s previous records showed potential, this double disc opus represents the equivalent of a whole new world.

Take a second and imagine driving through the desert in central Australia: you barely notice the landscape changing as you race along those straight roads, but all of a sudden it’s all changed, the colours are different, the trees and plants have changed. It’s the same here.

Shane Roberts (Sir Robbo), Kevin Purdy and John Maddox orchestrate this swelling mass of musical elements into a dense brew without succumbing to bloated or noodly excess. That’s a triumph in itself when you consider the blend of percussion, melodica, marimba, glockenspiel, soundscapes, guitars, keyboards, double and electric bass, cello and vibes, as well as guests including Daevid Allen (Soft Machine, Gong), Peter and Tim Hollo (Fourplay), Pip Branson (Something For Kate), Jeremy Barnett (Prop), Rory Toomey and Sloth (Meta Bass & Breath). It should come as no surprise when you know the band members have histories stretching from Sydney’s early 1980s post punk scene through to now, and taking in bands such as Astronomy Class and Madroom.

This magical album skirts the line between warm instrumental music and lithe Krautrock rhythms, soundtrackers take note, and if you get to see this spine-tingling set live, don’t miss out.

Tooth’s website is audio-less, but have a taste at toothspace. Mudlarking comes highly recommended – you’re not going to get a real idea of the humour and warmth and density of ideas in this album from online samples, go and buy it, now!

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