Microkingdom Information Depot- home
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Hello there.
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Some Press: "…a kind of shambling, nightclub jazz sway… a hyperactively burrowing noise excavation which displays a squally belligerence before slowing to a crawl… It's as bold and lurid as the aquamarine vinyl it's pressed on." – The Wire "Wrenches: My Heart/Double Abacus is dynamic, challenging,
confident, and preternaturally developed for such a humble beginning,
the work of musicians questioning each other's habits so as to bend good
ideas into great sounds. Count it: It's hard to imagine having more fun
with some drums, a guitar, and some reeds." "… An impatient and aggressive near-rock record
that, at moments, dares to be accessible... much of this is ecstatic,
would-be song. "Double Abacus" … is like a song ground
underfoot, discordant bleats of saxophone answered flippantly by Miller's
even more discordant guitar seizures… It stings, but if nothing
did here, you'd be disappointed." "It's good to hear that the dynamics of a "noise"
scene ultimately hasn't torn down an avenue for clean, forward-thinking
sketches like in these four pieces, half flying coach in free technique,
the other half grounded in structured interplay." “Microkingdom... played sinuous, powerfully dynamic improvisations that went from snaking, quasi-Ethiopian melodic forms all the way to full–on Fire Music and back again...” – The Wire Review of a show with Snacks at The Golden West Cafe is here Podcast of The Wire On Air broadcast on Resonance FM is here Baltimore City Paper profile is here
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*The
"we" is Marc Miller (guitar) of the Monitor Record's band Oxes
and Will Redman (drums and vibraphone). Marc and Will played together
some time ago in a conceptual art rock band called International Soundscape
Internationale. Through the end of the Nineteen Nineties and several years
into the New Millenium Will and Marc did not play together or keep in
very good touch really. During that time, Marc and Oxes did a lot of touring
and sold a pretty decent amount of records, played on John Peel's show,
etc. Simultaneously, Will was in graduateschool for Music Composition
studying with Michael Finnissy (one ofthe main figures of the so-called
"New Complexity") and then writing a huge and bizzare graphic
score for a PhD dissertation. John Dierker (tenor sax. clarinet, bass
clarinet), who plays with Microkingdom as much as possible, has been a
major part of Baltimore's experimental and improv scenes playing with
Jad Fair, Jason Willett, Lafayette Gilchrest, Jeff Arnal, and lots of
others. Sometimes other people play with Microkingdom too. There is a
different name for each ensemble Microkingdom's Yesterday's Wizards, Microkingdom's
Respect Commanders, you get the drift. |
All kinds of other info can be found at: www.microkingdom.com (buy the new Ltd. Ed. LP here) www.myspace.com/microkingdom (audio, video, shows) Images and Audio: Puppet Knowledge (from Pastor of Muppets CDR) |
More press :
“The personality core of [Microkingdom] is one of unrelenting musical
exploration, beamed through an improvised aesthetic: During the 20 minutes of
the band's debut LP—one of the boldest, most breathless statements I've
heard this year—the duo trigger-switches from counterpoint to spazz to
skronk to near silence with élan and elocution. An unbelievably smart
and ambitious corollary to The Freedom Principle.”--Independent Weekly
"The Baltimore free-jazz duo of guitarist Marc Miller (Monitor Records' Oxes) and percussionist Dr. Will Redman are joined by saxophonist John Dierker on these blistering psychedelic cuts. Its pretty much what you'd expect from a Microkingdom release--manic reed blasts punctuated by sudden silences, jarring shifts into worldbeat, and off-the-wall improvisation. Limited to 300 copies on green and white colored vinyl."--UMBC Retriever Weekly
“…proudly independent approaches are almost the norm [in Baltimore].
At the recently reopened Talking Head, Microkingdom, a core duo of Marc Miller
and Will Redman, abetted by a saxophonist, played sinuous, powerfully dynamic
improvisations that went from snaking, quasi-Ethiopian melodic forms all the
way to full–on Fire Music and back again. The audience lapped it all up
with relish, bringing home just how spoiled Baltimore people are for high quality
free playing, and just how hungry they are for weirdness.”--The Wire
“… Microkingdom…has created an impatient and aggressive near-rock
record that, at moments, dares to be accessible. Wrenches rarely lingers, and
your attention never wanders; instead of full songs, it feels like much of this
is ecstatic, would-be song. "Double Abacus," … is like a song
ground underfoot, discordant bleats of saxophone answered flippantly by Miller's
even more discordant guitar seizures. A dampened floor tom tries and fails to
maintain a semblance of order. It's a full-on freakout, made all the more of
an affront thanks to that sharp, squealing guitar and horrifically pitched bird
noises (we think). It stings, but if nothing did here, you'd be disappointed.”--City
Paper (Baltimore)
“…Microkingdom is known for its noirish improv--think free-jazz
with rock leanings--though often the group riffs off intricate compositions
written by Redman. When performing together, there's a tautness to the chaos;
each knows when to hold back and let the others wild out. Skittering drums recede
beneath a swell of sax squeals, the soft strumming of guitar staggers to the
forefront. The sound is by turns subdued, eerie, and deliriously mani…Both
[sides of the LP Wrenches: My Heart/Double Abacus] have a drunken, hazy quality.
"Double Abacus" evokes the jumbled glee of taking one shot too many,
while "Wrenches: My Heart" is more languid, perfect for long nights
warming barstools..."--City Paper (Baltimore)
“…[Microkingdom] played some short, free improvisations that explored
some quiet textures with brief episodes of mezzo-forte and the odd forte…
The ability to respond to each other while working this particular dynamic range
was refreshing to hear. They concluded this set with an interpretation of part
of Redman's graphic score: Book... The notated "free" improvisation
opens up interesting strategies and this particular score seemed to invite a
particular focus in the hands of these gifted improvisers…”--Hurdaudio
“[Microkingdom have] developed into a tight, cohesive improvising trio
that deftly navigates a range of sonic textures. Their willingness to both embrace
and abandon pulse - without any outward signs of self-consciousness toward groove
and anti-groove - makes for some compelling improvisation. They also have the
same willingness to pursue both soft and loud textures that adds many different
shades to their collective sound. This was easily the best set of today's marathon.”--Hurdaudio
