Album Details

• Artist: Tetuzi Akiyama
• Album: The Ancient Balance To Control Death
• Label: Western Vinyl
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2008-05-02

Another in Western Vinyl's Portrait series, this seven song set continues Akiyama's exploration of brittle, childlike guitar inprovisations. Always somewhat blues-based, his work is an acquired taste, as it walks the line between avant-garde and outsider. So "The Ancient Balance To Control Death" is fun and creepy at once; then there are the vocals.

Spin "Close the Door" and imagine some bastard son f Daniel Johnston and Jandek, and you get the idea. Akiyama's guitar work, always compelling even when totally un-encumbered by chord structure or key, saves each tune from being derailed by some precious singing. "I Will Be With You" and "The Sun Was Covered" are highlights of the man's fretwork. His improvs draw on delta blues, folk and weird folk, but his style is all his own. There is a logic to his playing; you expect some tracks, especially "Break Silence," to completely fall apart, but yet they remain.

Clocking in at around 15 minutes, "The Ancient Balance To Control Death" doesn't have much time to make big statements, or a big impression. Tetuzi Akiyama has, however, added to his catalogue a set of short, torn and frayed tunes will either drive you nuts or somehow try to play along.

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