Now, this is something special. A brief cassette of harsh Chicago Jim Haras noise released on the excellent Out-Of-Body Records label (the label masterminded by House Of Tinnitus mainman Rob Buttrum). Really weird stuff themed around money and elitism. Pertinent topics in the world of underground music today… there seems to be a huge gap between people who perceive themselves as “have nots” and those who are content with their lives… whether they are indeed financially wealthy, or simply wealthy in spirit. Either way, Jim Haras is a man who is wealthy in both talent and dedication to the experimental noise genre. The complexity of the compositions on this release rival those of Chicago expatriate and similarly powerul force in noise Mack Chami of Crown Of Cerberus. Strong attention to detail and narrative thread resulting in a highly listenable (and re-listenable) release from this newest incarnation of Mr. PTM Jim (aka Fusty Cunt label head extraordinaire Jim Haras/Deterge). Some brief vocals and weird connecting tissue keeps this from being total cut-up craziness… in fact it is quite coherent and cinematic. He manages to get the most out of the experience, treating the recording session as if it is a live set and just giving it his all.
Something that strikes me about the work of Mr. Haras is that it manages to be abstract and straightforward at the same time. The audience is regarded at arms length, and for the most part the experience retains the privacy and passion of a live set attended by a room full of close friends. The intimacy of the recording leads to an experience that can be enjoyed multiple times regardless of one’s perspective going into the thing… no matter what, multiple listens will cause new and unique experiences because there is really a lot packed in here. The overall mood starts out meditative, and gradually becomes explosive and noisily dynamic… there are a lot of memorable and disturbed moments in the twenty minutes found on this reel of tape! The disgusting, gurgling voice of wealth and oppression… the stupid and baleful bleats of the masses blending together… it’s all here in full stereo sound!
“Pecuniary Huckster” is an A+, top of the line release from both Mr. Jim Haras and the absolutely fine Out-Of-Body Recordings imprint. It reflects a desire to eclipse the beliefs of the day and accept the world for what it is, a complex and pyramidal structure that laughs at the folly of man. The silliness of the condescending protestors and their feeble signs and slogans, the sorrow of the old millionaire who refuses to die, clinging onto life like a maggot to a piece of wounded flesh… All equally disturbed and deranged, evidence of the folly and futility of mankind. Sonically speaking, the A-side has a cut-up flavor that often tends toward an atmospheric and altogether ethereal/spooky sort of experience. Sound collage of various elements created by Mr. Haras, synthesizers and other atmospheric elements come together to create an aura of mystery, which is compounded and exacerbated by the savagery and mystery of side B. “Comsume To Cum” is an extreme and full-force harsh noise track that spends its duration exacting some form of extreme punishment… the picture of bureaucratic capitalist society as a fragmented and beautiful image of fractalized pain and suffering. A pyramid of need and feed. A-plus, top of the line, highly recommended noise product to consume and process from Denton, Texas’ finest noise label and Chicago, Illinois’ finest noise artist. Good stuff!
Rating: 4.5/5
Written By: Joseph Gates
Label: Out-Of-Body-Records / Format: C20 / Cat. # O-O-BR005
1. Snipers Gaining Media Attention By Picking Off Protestors At OWS
2. The Wealth Remains
3. Comsume To Cum
