Reviews
2003-07-30
Some CD covers, like the flashing neon lights American flag on the cover of Tamarin's debut album, are hard to ignore. It's striking and threatening at the same time. I don't really know where the picture of this flashy flag was taken, but it has the qualities of artistic kitsch, made as some sort of statement to protest against America's capitalistic or nationalistic policy. I won't be surprised though, if that big shiny flag pours it's lights on many highways around the states, provoking a few with it's strong lightning, glorifying America's power, to the majority.
Just like the old lady, on the back cover of this album, I'll take a bet, yet not a risky one. No matter what's the original purpose of this flag was, Tamarin is not so keen about the American government and its' actions, and in his eyes this flag rears, more than anything else, as the ugly head of nationalism and mediocrity, two of Americas' major problems, and bigger issues, even than Bin Laden, or the war in Iraq.
I guess there's some reasoned concept to this album, but is it possible that only it's creator understand it ? Am I supposed to figure it out myself ? I don't, but the music is great. "Buzkashi" starts with Arabic tune slashed to fading pieces by abrasive beats, "JDLS (extended mix)" is pure electro industrial that goes berserk, "The Nationalist" is disturbing power noise in the vein of Converter and "Fritz" sounds like a cat being dragged into some sick experiment by some crazy German scientist. Tamarin sure knows his way around, abusing diverse styles of rhythmic industrial, with some little help from his friends (Antigen Shift, Gridlock and Army Of 23 Monkeys among others) who contribute some fine remixes, but his implied concept doesn't ascend through the entire album. It's not enough to quote former U.S.A supreme court justice Robert H. Parker, load samples and put pictures that represents some typical and absurd American reality on the album cover. It should be much deeper and clear to some extent. While the music is good, not everyone is David Thrussell (Snog / Black Lung), but if you're looking for a colorful industrial music, "The Nationalist" might be an album worth to check.
Rani Zager
