Album Details

• Artist: Male
• Album: All Are Welcome
• Label: Arkonow
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2009-04-14

A lot of times, drone bands can seem like the pretty guy or gal who suddenly loses that aura when they open their mouth, revealing an annoying laugh or bad teeth or something. Drone bands can sound powerful and majestic when droning, working through all the possible colors on one or two chords, but they might sound a bit less powerful if they tried to play actual songs. Male, however, have the authority that comes from being a band, from playing drone by choice, not because it is popular and you can play at least rudimentary drone on the day you buy your first guitar. This collective of guest musicians improvise their way through four solid tracks that show off their chops as well as their ability to hear one another and respond in kind.

"All Are Welcome" presents a strong core amid the chaos. "Wrangling for Hire" kicks off the set with a rush of huge guitar and slightly off-balance keyboards. The effect at times is so massive it is funny, but funny in the way that you laugh at anything stunning. "I'll Be Standing Soon" follows up with a slower pace, an almost gothic drone that contains echoes of the mass that preceded it.

Cymbals wash in and around bass and muted guitar on "Dark Advances," a brief foray into a kind of groove before the finale. "Used To Be Guy" feedsback with an Industrial earnestness, and returns the listener to the original sonic intensity of the opener.

The core of this Chicago band consists of Jonathan Krohn on keyboards and Benjamin Mjolsness on guitar. "All Are Welcome" features members of Panamerican, Exploding Star Orchestra and Joan of Arc joining in to create a whole lot of improv noise that manages to sound like one seamless piece.

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