Are You Going to Stop... in Bern?

This record brings together two of the better experimental guitar players of the '90s: veteran Loren MazzaCane Connors and Chicago fixture Jim O'Rourke. Unlike other '90s experimentalists, O'Rourke and Connors belong to no particular school of music. They don't try to pass themselves off as jazz musicians, as Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore has been accused of doing; thus expectations from audiences and critics aren't quite as high. Don't look for the O'Rourke of Eureka on this album, as he is clearly inspired by Connors' guitar ramblings. There are no traditional "songs" here: The album documents an entirely improvised concert from 1997. The two guitarists play off each other and come up with some good themes and melodies, at times even letting out a yelp of distorted feedback. From listening to the record and looking over the pictures in the inset, one can tell they had a lot of fun. The music here is sparse and certainly experimental, but it's melodic and easy to listen to, as well -- a concept not encountered in most contemporary avant-garde music. At times, it's easy to get lost in the guitar drones, but this is a record well worth waiting for. ~ Marc Gilman