ART BEARS - Winter Songs (1979-2015) RM / Mini LP SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The Art Bears' second album consists of 12 songs of various tensions: rest vs. speed, improv vs. pulse, space vs. density, Dagmar Kraus's vocals vs. everyone else. As usual, Chris Cutler's lyrics tell political allegories through medieval-tinged stories: slaves, castles, and wheels of fortune (and industry) dominate. Fred Frith explores discordance through his guitar, and European folk figures through his always enjoyable violin. Though not as confrontational as their other work, the centerpiece has to be the frantic "Rats and Monkeys" with three minutes of teeth-gritting, out-of-control insanity as all three players are plugged into a wall outlet and let rip. A guaranteed lease breaker if played often enough. by Ted Mills
Tracklist :
1     The Bath of Stars 1:45
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
2     First Things First 2:50
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
3     Gold 1:41
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
4     The Summer Wheel 2:47
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
5     The Slave 3:38
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
6     The Hermit 2:59
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
7     Rats and Monkeys 3:24
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
8     The Skeleton 3:11
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
9     The Winter Wheel 3:06
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
10     Man and Boy 3:21
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
11     Winter/War/Force/Three Figures 3:05
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
12     Force 0:54
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
13     Three Figures 1:51
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
14     Three Wheels 3:35
Chris Cutler / Fred Frith
Credits :
Drums, Percussion, Written-By, Arranged By, Text By [Texts] – Chris Cutler
Guitar [Guitars], Violin, Keyboards, Xylophone, Written-By, Arranged By, Composed By [Compositions] – Fred Frith
Voice – Dagmar Krause