CHRIS CORSANO

Not sure that anyone reading this needs a Chris Corsano intro, but just in case: he's a master percusser (formerly of Western Mass, now of Manchester, UK) best known as the lower half of the two-headed fire monster Flaherty/Corsano, but he's also played with tons of kings from all sides of the avant polygon (T. Moore, C. S. Yeh, E. Parker, G. Kelley, Jandek, et. fucking. al.). To call him the best/most interesting/insanest/etc drummer in the world is actually underselling him, as he's way more than a drummer - more like a big bulging collection of brain cells and nerve endings charged with endless sonic electrons, and while he's got a pretty long pedigree to prove it, all the evidence anyone could need is on his first-ever solo disc, The Young Cricketer (on his own Hot Cars Warp label).

When I ordered this from Fusetron last week, I was ready to be let down: after years of witnessing our hero deliver heart-attacking invention in various groups, I figured nothing could match my expectations of what he might do by himself...and what a shock, I was wrong. (I made the same mistake with the Corsano-Tim Barnes (aka Me'n'You Duo) disc, which ended up being worthy of way more drool than I had produced in anticipation). All 16 tracks here are stunners on their own, but taken together they're really too much to comprehend. I thought Mr. C. might dodge "drum solo" cliches by going totally abstract, or exceed them by slamming out untouchable trap-destroying improvs, but somehow he does both - often within single tracks, sometimes even in single sounds.

Weaved through his rattling poly-limbed jams are sheets of sheer noise (made mostly with horn mouthpieces attached to tubes and funnels, but also with pot lids, lamp bases, butter knives, and a "violin-string-snare-drum contraption"), waves of gravelly drone, nests of squawking air, and all other types of earth-defying sound. At one point on "How should you throw it on other occasions?" (each track is named with a question about the sport of cricket), Corsano even duos with himself, hurling spittle through a piece of horn while simultaneously pounding out a blurry beat. But that's just the tip of this massive iceberg, which drips with so many ideas and so much head-grabbing sound I almost wonder if Chris should retire now - this would easily qualify as the life-highlight of most sound-generating mortals.

Luckily there's no way Corsano's gonna stop - he currently has like 1000 shows lined up- and I'd happily bet that his next disc (a keyboard/vocals thing currently only available at shows) will be even better, but I don't even wanna think about that right now. I just wanna lose more brain cells to this unbelievable disc, which in a better world would be touted by so many (still may be, give it time) that'd I'd be embarrased to add my fanboy gush to the hype. MP3's exist in various places - four are on Corsano's aforelinked page, plus a section from the best (definitely the noisiest) track, "Are You Going To Keep Alive the Spirit of Cricket?," is playable at mimaroglumu), but I haven't seen the track I mentioned above anywhere, so enjoy:

mp3:
CHRIS CORSANO - "How Should You Throw It On Other Occasions?" from The Young Cricketer.