“cline_nels_bendian”
Nels Cline/Gregg Bendian
Interstellar Space Revisited
Atavistic
I approached this record from all the wrong angles. I’ve always been somewhat suspicious of Nels Cline, just because he is in the truly awful Geraldine Fibbers, though I think that’s reason enough. So there’s one mental block already. Gregg Bendian is another story; I’ve always been appreciative of his work. Preconceptions aside, I am finding it difficult to justify the existence of this record. Interstellar Space Revisited is a faithful and complete reworking of the John Coltrane/Rashied Ali duets that became the first Interstellar Space . Now obviously, both Cline and Bendian have left their artistic signature all over Interstellar Space Revisited , but is this necessarily an improvement over the original? Does Interstellar Space Revisited have some burning purpose behind it? I guess not. While it is intriguing to hear Cline’s interpretations of Coltrane’s part on a guitar, and there are quite a few of those “oh-my-god” awestruck moments, there is something missing. It is a difficult thing to pull off, covering an entire record, I think the only time this was done to the fullest was when Pussy Galore slaughtered Exile on Main Street . Assessment: Two friends jamming on their favorite songs in heartfelt homage.
Atavistic, PO Box 578266, Chicago IL 60657
