Node - Node Live. 2018 England

Node Live is the 3rd album from the English Berlin School masters. Interesting that the CD itself gives no indication of when and where the concert was. I don't think I've seen that oversight before. In any case the label themselves has the information, and it turns out the concert was held at the prestigious Royal College of Music in London back in 2015. Hardly Benny's Bar & Grill. Node almost never play live, and the reason is obvious - they have a massive amount of old analog electronic equipment, which happens to weigh a ton. The photos contained within the CD show Node working with about as much electronic equipment as you would see in an old 70s news clip of NASA.

This particular live engagement features the same quartet as found on Node 2. For those who have read my review there, one can clearly see I was losing my mind at just how magical a recording it is. One of the high water marks of the entire Berlin School genre. So is Node Live at that same level? No. Is  it still an excellent album? Heck yea! Like any true Berlin school artist, Node play 100% improvised. They start with an idea and roll with it. For the studio efforts they can edit and replace. Here - what you hear is what you get. In addition, the style relies heavily on the sound texture itself. And while certainly this is a professional recording in a renowned venue, one can still hear some of the hollowness within the instruments. But all the trademarks of Node are intact: Fat Moog sequences, electric guitar, early 70s synthesizer textures, mellotron, and melodic solos. For fans of the style, an easy recommendation. For those looking for further progress on Node 2, it didn't happen here. Not sure that's possible anyway.

Ownership: CD: 2018 DiN. Tri-fold digipak. Tons of photos and some other details. Just not when and where....

2/28/19 (new entry)

Node. 1995 England

Before AirSculpture, Radio Massacre International, Under The Dome, and Redshift, there was Node - the group primarily given credit for kicking off the entire retro-Tangerine Dream movement in the UK. As with most pioneers, I don’t think they were as cognizant of recreating a style as they were compiling a vast array of influences and then proceeding to move them forward in an exciting way. As such, this isn’t nearly the dead-on Rubycon meets Timewind sound the others have striven so hard to emulate. A full four member group with Modular Moog, Ring Modulated trumpet, "The Putney", and "Interactive Phase Synthesizer", Node engage in all sorts of random possibilities that the style affords. Radical, groundbreaking, richly produced, rhythmically interesting, and brilliant.

Ownership: CD: 1995 Deviant

11/19/18 (new entry)

Node - Node 2. 2014 England

The Node quartet are back after nearly 20 years (with a slight adjustment of personnel replacing Gary Stout with Hollywood composer Mel Wesson), easily at home on Ian Boddy's DiN label. The band's core premise is intact and they're still with all analog gear in tow, including a full array of fun toys like the ARP 2600, SynthiA, modified Mini-Moogs, PPG Modular, custom built synthesizers, along with well placed guitar (including some wonderful phased electric soaring over the full blast sequencers in the best Edgar Froese tradition) and other keyboards like Fender Rhodes, piano, organ, and Mellotron. The very detailed chronological Ultra-Technical Music Geek Notes (AC's trademark pending) gives us a glimpse into the world of Node. Each track has a melodic, tempo, and chord base from which to base their programming on. From there it's pure improvisation. If it works on try #1, it stays in. Otherwise they adjust a few things, and give it another whirl. It's 100% democratic and independent - 4 seasoned musicians each adding their own personality to the composition. When all is recorded, it's edited (filtered) down for the best possible listening experience.

For me, this is the most exciting Berlin School album since the heady late 90s days of Redshift. The sheer amount and variety of analog synthesizers, combined with a fully participating quartet, allows for unlimited possibilities in a genre that can easily grow stale (i.e . turn on the sequencers and beats, get a cup of coffee, then noodle for a bit). It's nigh impossible to even pick one track, as each one is brilliant, and yet very different. If you're a fan of the style, it's almost impossible to fathom not absolutely freaking over this album. It not only lives up to the promise of the debut, but exceeds it. Pure genius - a definitive statement. The bar has been reset.

Ownership: CD: 2014 DiN

7/23/14 (new entry)