Search - Negativland :: Escape from Noise

A GREAT record, but DON'T buy it from this label

M. Derby | Portland, OR USA | 08/21/2007

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Escape From Noise is one of Negativland's best. But...please, please...buy the CD from the band's own Seeland label. There's another link on amazon; you can easily jump over to it.



When Negativland got into legal trouble over their hilarious U2 parody, they got screwed not only by Island Records (who ridiculously claimed that the obscure release would confuse U2 fans and deprive the mega-wealthy band of sales), and not only Casey Kasem (who would hardly seem to have a right to censor his own words).



No, they also got screwed by SST Records, their OWN LABEL. That's SST, the indie label with a lot of cred based on their having released the Minutemen, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. and a lot of other great music.



Although--rumor has it--they didn't do a good job of getting around to actually paying these artists (despite the tremendous sales said bands were generating, so much so that SST releases have often been unavailable due to the label not producing enough copies to keep up with demand).



But where SST could have stood behind Negativland when Island came after them, instead they did everything they could to screw over their own band -- primarily by making them pay legal fees from every recording they'd ever made, forever.



So if you buy Escape From Noise from SST, you're giving money to people with a "cool" aura they don't deserve, who've acted almost as greedy as the major label which succeeded--for many years, though not permanently--in preventing fans from hearing Negativland's U2 parody.



If you buy the Seeland release, then the money goes to Negativland. Who need it, and deserve it.



(Standard disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer. This account is true merely to the best of my understanding, and may not be 100% true in every detail. Hey, I don't want Island or SST coming after ME, either.)

"

Yellow and black and rectangular!

S. A DUNN | Chehalis, WA United States | 04/25/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is possibly the most accessable Negativland release. I think it was their attempt to go "mainstream" but with Negativland, "There is no other possibility!"



Expertly crafted, all the snippets of found sound and noise are blended into unforgettable songs. Especially the song; "The Playboy Channel." In it, my favorite Clorox Cowboy, THE WEATHERMAN instructs how those horrible noises will mess up your "big O" while watching the Playboy Channel! Horray for the Weatherman to tell us that!



We get their sadarnic treatment of America's love of the gun. Also we get fantastic xylaphone playing in their psychedelic "Yellow, Black and Rectangular!" We get an eerie picture of the Soviet Union in Time Zones. After listening to it you will never forget there are 11 time zones there. "That's not funny. That's ridiculous!"



And it is here that they debut their "Killer Song," "Christianity is Stupid." It is the song they claimed was responsible for some axe murders, which the media believed and then made a touchdown with that football! It is also the song that they recently made into a movie-collage, "The Mashing of the Christ!" I hear that Mel Gibson wants to sue them over that little project!



Originally released by SST records, that record company sued Negativland over their little "U2" stunt! I hear that Negativland finally won rights to this album from SST, thus it is back on Negativland's private label, Seeland Records."

Classic Negativland

Jens | Montréal | 07/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you buy only one CD by Negativland, this is the one. I bought "Escape from Noise" years ago on vinyl and wore it out. It's good to hear it again. A related EP, "Helter Stupid,: is also recommended."