review 1 Dan Warbarton Bagatellen

Q: When is an AMM album not an AMM album? A: Um, dunno, because Keith Rowe's presence is in no way obligatory (witness the Gare / Prévost edition of AMM recently documented on the magnificent At The
Roundhouse). But even though Rowe wasn't on board when Discrete Moments was recorded in London's Gateway Studios in January 2004, it's as if
his two most faithful playing partners were trying to spirit him into the session, what with handheld electric fans to excite Prévost's tam-tam and seemingly interminable drones from Tilbury's organ. If you'll overlook "E1" (a brief solo percussion flourish), the album's tracks alternate Tilbury's piano (prepared and unprepared) and organ, but the
tracks named "S" and "R" could quite easily have been dispensed with and the overall arch form maintained. "R" in particular is a drag at nearly nineteen minutes, and sounds like these two veteran road warriors are trying to outdo the likes of Ilios and Cremaster in the slowmotion grey dirge stakes. "S" is classic Tilbury, and its Feldmanesque repeated cells are instantly recognisable, but despite its poise and beauty it finds the pianist treading a well-worn furrow.
There are many great and moving moments, but the freshest and most interesting work on the album is to be found on the opening "D", where the unwieldy thunks of Prévost's stringed barrel contrast splendidly with Tilbury's pristine pianism.

Dan Warbarton
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