Cassette Review // Trance Macabre "Blind John Deere"

 

This cassette opens with a loud harshness which turns into the deep bass as the drums come crashing through as well.   The bass goes back and forth as the percussion carries on.  There are other sound elements in here to make this feel like jazz or some sort of similar genre of music, but it just keeps moving.  I feel as if the drums are really driving it to do that.  But then it slows down and nearly comes to a stop.

Perfectly in sync this sound switches to something rather upbeat.   It reminds me of an old time cartoon where a character might just be walking around having a good old time.   The way that this all just shifted gears at once is such an example of musicians being on the same page and when they can come together like this it's magical.   Plus this portion of this song just makes me feel so happy.  I feel like I'm walking in a cartoon and bad things are happening behind me (like a piano falls and nearly hits me) but I'm just oblivious to it and smiling.

At this point, the song really breaks down to where you can hear the horns and it just feels like such a thrilling jazz number.  I feel like the pace is really picking up here as well and it's just creating something so moving that you'd have no choice but to feel it.   It dips down a little bit slower, but comes back and you can really feel like you're in this film noir black and white world.   I can tell it has all come to an end on Side A when I hear "thank you".

Steady beats and notes in succession start the second side.    There is a driving quality to this and it starts off smaller but then kicks in much louder.   This definitely feels like a carnival ride, and as it comes to a quiet part you can hear people clapping and cheering.  But the bass line leads it back in and then it all grows loud again, climbs up and then drops off back down.   Everyone is taking their turns showcasing their sound individually.

The percussion guides the blaring horns now.   Then everything comes together to find its groove.   It continues down this path which can feel hypnotic before it all slows down and stretches out.  The strings can only be heard now as the percussion is also fading.   It felt like it was ending, like the sounds were all leaving one by one, but they're back now and they're all working together to create something rather loud.   It does manage to find that grand finale though, as it all comes to an end.