Czech Chamber/rock/R.I.O./improvised

Metamorphosis

(played in my radio show)

CD (1999), CD (2002), CD (2006)

Rachot                     Metamorphosis (CZ/Ö/TÜ,1999)****'

airplay show5: Tr.1, “Unterm Teppich” 2 min, Tr.8, “Karusell” 5 min

This early chamber music rock album by Metamorphosis sounds very dynamic and energetic, like a drifted contemporary music tango between the instruments (guitar, cello and violin), with calmer moments kept up by the wildest. Here and there “aggressive” vocal shifts are added as extra peaks, leading to words/song/shouting directions, which give as much as anything else directions. The vividness makes this release something rather unique, which is even present in the calmest moments. This shows a high level of contemporary music composition, even when having much energy of drifting with its energy away, this is a quality of young people. The complex guitar driven ideas amongst other things show intelligent craftsmen, where cello and violin find different pronunciations and punctuations, before energizing the whole. "Popsong" is a real "popsong" with a beautiful chamber arrangement. Highly recommended !

The group travelled, played and composed between Austria and Czech republic and had at first Czech, Austrian and a Turkish member (Martin Alacam, Christoph Pajer, Richard Deutsch and Julide Canca). When Julide Canca had to return to Istanbul cello player Christof Rothaler, replaced him. Together they recorded their debut album "Contaminated Chamber Music", in Prague, and released it in 1999 on the Czech label Rachot/Behemot. This is their second edition.

Audio : "Unterm Teppich"

Label intro on group : http://www.rachot.cz/a_meta.html

Homepage : http://www.metamorphosis.at/

Description on https://www.tamizdat.org/...next release ->

Leo Rec.         Metamorphosis : Dip (CZ/Ö/TÜ,2002)****

Airplay radio show5 : Tr.3, “Paserak” 6 min, Tr.8, “Knecht” 4 min  -10

The second album contains more calm chamber music, with attractive, still somewhat swinging compositions. Also many more songs are added, with the smooth chamber orchestra of guitars with strings, in a typical contemporary Czech way, in a style that is rarely used elsewhere as an approach for a general more serious public that still relates this to pop music. To some degree the music is also more pop music, in a very intelligent way, well composed and balanced way with interesting balance of sounds. Last track is a rather experimental improvisation with interesting sounds from the instruments, crawling towards spontaneous comfort and order. The music is still recorded in the Czech republic, mixed and mastered in Austria, but is time is released on a label based in England.

Audio : "Love and Napalm", "Mina", "Sabah"(or here),"Stubnitz" & on http://www.myspace.com/christophpajer

& on http://www.myspace.com/contaminatedchamberpop

Label info : http://www.leorecords.com/?m=select&id=CD_LR_357

Description : https://www.tamizdat.org/...

Other reviews : http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=11021

& http://www.jazzweekly.com/reviews/metamorphosis_dip.htmnext release->

Leo Rec.      Metamorphosis : Luff (Ö/CZ/TÜ,2006)****

With a renewed (heavy) rock energy this album starts, with the first instrumental, using also electric guitar this time. This electric guitar is used with the acoustic guitar more often throughout the whole album (with some different pedal sounds). According to the booklet, also toothbrush ! and kalimba seems to be used as new occasional instruments. Here are songs followed by instrumentals mostly, playing easy to follow rhythmically changing melodies, and following chords a bit more than ever for many tracks. Just one song, “Expedition”, is sung, in English, a bit more aggressively like a punk version of a Bertolt Brecht kind of song opera for a general public, while in general everything is very accessible, and highly entertaining. Two songs are in Turkish. “Zigzag” is led by acoustic guitar, with chamber arrangements to it. Especially a track like “Osvradjinn” shows how they didn’t forget their contemporary music classical foundations. Another original, enjoyable still rather impuls-driven album.

Audio : "Northern Light"(or here), "Sayonara"(or here), "Expedition","On Transit", "Balkon" & fragment

& on http://www.myspace.com/contaminatedchamberpop

Label info : http://www.leorecords.com/?m=select&id=CD_LR_474

Other review : http://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/cd-reviews/luff.html

& http://www.lulu.com/content/569107

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