ZX Electric - Obsolete

This release was in the promopool under the genre "postpunk". "I can do this! I like postpunk!" I thought and picked it up. Well it doesn't sound like postpunk one bit. Its more outsider music. You guys know Jandek? He is a guy from Houston Texas who has been making records since 1978. He has released over 70 albums already. They are very painful to listen too. One guy strumming a weird tuned guitar at random and humming monotone tales of madness and loss. I get about the same idea listening to this album. Is this some weird recluse doing his stuff? There is no info whatsoever about ZX Electric. Only a Bandcamp and a Facebook page with 14 likes.

The music consists of electric guitar and keyboard/organ with a guy singing over it. The guy has a very weird voice somewhere between the dude from the Residents and Tom Waits, but at a pretty amateuristic level. The guitar playing and keyboard playing is okay, but the entire combination is just plain weird.

There are some good idea's here and apart from the strange "Might this be a new Jandek?" sensation i also have the impression i am listening to demo's and practice material meant for a full blown album. Like the singer and the guitar player meeting up, bringing a 4 track recorder and just jamming out some ideas to work out in the rehearsal room and studio with a full band. With the singer dicking up because its just "demos".

I don't know. What Ii do know is that it is not good. Its also merrier and better played than Jandek, which is sort of a bad thing because the sheer despair and depression of his work makes it the more interesting. From a masochistic viewpoint that is. I never made it through a full Jandek album, and I have tried. I give up after three songs, and then i am talking about his earlier work which has lots of two minute songs. Fortunately ZX Electric keeps it around that time frame as well.

Anyway, check it out for yourself on the Bandcamp, and please like the Facebook page. Obviously the guy is trying, but he fails so hard and his stuff is pretty weird so he deserves some good vibes. Maybe he is a new Jandek, and this album will be a classic in thirty years. Time will tell! Sep 02 2013