Tied to Stone

Prurient's Adam Tied to Stone might just be my favourite noise album. Which is funny, because a few years ago I would've scoffed at the notion of a "favourite" noise album, or in fact, "better" or "worse" noise in general. I'll admit it: I was dismissive of the genre as a whole. I could appreciate noise in a context, such as in The Velvet Underground or Sonic Youth's early material, but concrete noise was over my head. But I suppose approaching a whole new genre can be a bit daunting, and one as anti-... music... as noise can be especially inpenetrable.

Now I'm by no means any sort of noise guru, but I at least have an appreciation for the genre, and listen to enough that I can finally answer people who ask me what makes a "good" noise album? How can one man's static be "better" than another?.

Adam Tied to Stone, as previously mentioned, is a decidedly "good" noise album. First and foremost, I think noise (by and large) can't be judged by "musical" standards - melody, rhythm, composition, etc. - but by "sound" standards: by its texture, volume, power (if I dare be so artsy-fartsy abstract). "Adam" is absolutely ferocious in terms of texture, a clipping, engulfing mess of static. Additionally, we have possibly my favourite distinguishing feature of Prurient, and that being vocals. Crank this to 11 and try not to get goosebumps during the first overdriven scream.

What also sets Adam... apart is - get this - variation. "Bad" noise is lazy noise. Bad noise is laptop looping. Bad noise can be made in 15 minutes with little care or attention. "Returning Rape", while just as destructive as "Adam", is audible different: there is a decidedly different texture, and the synths at the end even reveal different instrumentation. A big step, really, in an age where noise can be entirely "laptop music" (which is why earlier noise is so fascinating, with all the homemade instruments and guerilla tactics). "Tied to Stone" even has a goddamn beat.

So if you're noise-curious, give this a listen. It's out-of-print, but it's still kicking around and highly recommended - coloured vinyl, hand-numbered, the works.





Download: Prurient - Adam Tied to Stone