New York City’s LADDIO BOLOCKO operated from the mid-90s on into the early 00s. They were a group adept at many different musical approaches. To listen to their records of which there are 3(which were rounded up by NO QUARTER RECORDS and released as an anthology called THE LIFE & TIMES OF LADDIO BOLOCKO), is to allow one’s self to sink deep into the quicksand that is this band’s music. Amazing players all four of the group’s members are, and each track on each of their records is filled with the vibrant colors of the interesting musics of our times: krautrock chug and experimentation, post-punk herk and jerk, the free wanderings of fringe jazz, the pummeling of noise rock, the glittering and sometimes delicate melodies of various pop and indie rocks, the drift and drone of ambient music. It’s all there, congealed into a writhing, nonstop, ever shifting, always rhythmically focused onslaught of guitars, saxaphones, percussion, and electronics. Voices drift in and out on occasion as well, but never stay long enough to tell any real tale. The music is the story and tells the story for LADDIO BOLOCKO. Their mesmerizing music comes from so many different angles that it’s difficult to express through words really. The slow burn of the climaxes that these gentleman build to on some of their more extended jams really allows them to approach the likes of the CANs, and FAUSTs, and the ESP jazz circle. This is music to rock out to, to dance to, to lose your mind to, a soundtrack for spacing out, a soundtrack for sex, a free and open blueprint that many should heed! Truly, and comprehensively these are awesome jams. Members of the group came from the likes of PANICSVILLE, and members went on to the likes of the extremely amazing THE PSYCHIC PARAMOUNT. You can do yourself a favor and listen to their music on repeat for long stretches of time. If only people who could really play played music like this more often!

-DS

DOWNLOAD: LADDIO BOLOCKO – THE LIFE & TIMES OF LADDIO BOLOCKO