THE NECKS – SILVERWATER
How can so seemingly little give so much? Like the Tardis of musical compositions, The Necks latest opus, Silverwater, appears on the outside to be a piece of minimalism. A sustained piano chord here, the smattering of the Indonesian Anklung there; a stray bass-line may appear, only to disappear. They all coalesce, they wander apart again. It is apparently so simple and compact.Yet open the doors to Necks-world, take but a small peek inside, and suddenly the universe has opened up to worlds vast and previously unimaginable. The chemistry between Chris Abrahams, Lloyd Swanton and Tony Buck remains fresh and unhindered after over two decades playing together, and the contributions of each member are vital parts of the whole in a way that embodies the musical group. Unplanned as always, the musical ideas that flow from this original position of nothingness are a testament to their philosophy (and a damning indictment of others who start with far more but end with so much less). Haunting, evocative, engrossing and astounding at each and every turn, Silverwater will defy any attempts at description but outstrip any expectation. This one really is special.
****1/2
