Cyclotron (album)

Last updated
Cyclotron
Blind Idiot God - Cyclotron.jpg
Studio album by
Released1992
RecordedBC Studio, Brooklyn, NY
Greenpoint Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Genre Noise rock, math rock
Length51:50
Label Avant
Producer Bill Laswell
Blind Idiot God chronology
Undertow
(1988)
Cyclotron
(1992)
Before Ever After
(2015)

Cyclotron is the third album by Blind Idiot God, released in 1992 through Avant Records. It became the band's final studio album for twenty-three years after drummer Ted Epstein left the band in 1996, causing the band to go on an indefinite hiatus. Cyclotron remains Blind Idiot God's last album recorded with the original line-up intact. [1]

Contents

Composer Bill Laswell, who had worked with the band on their previous album, returned to fill production duties. Guitarist Andy Hawkins began utilizing more feedback and looping techniques in the music, which he would further explore on Halo , his solo guitar project. [2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

In writing for allmusic, Brian Olewnick noted that the trio were immensely talented and erudite musicians capable of playing music that was "head and shoulders over most thrash-influenced math rock." Despite this, Olewnick concluded that the group showed little artistic growth and "it was becoming clear that this particular well was beginning to show signs of dryness and that perhaps the band members would be advised to think of drilling elsewhere." [2] Jakubowski of The Wire shared similar criticisms, stating that, despite the material being some of the strongest the group had released, that the music lacked progression. [3]

Track listing

All music is composed by Andy Hawkins, except "Head On" co-written by Ted Epstein and Gabriel Katz.

No.TitleLength
1."747"4:16
2."Slackjaw"4:51
3."Ground Lift"4:01
4."Thunderhead"4:39
5."Head On"3:55
6."Hangtime"5:00
7."Cloudcover"6:37
8."Cold Start"2:43
9."Death Hollow Canyon, Utah"4:35
10."Easing Back"5:02
11."Broadside"2:45
12."Dead Continent Dub"3:26

Personnel

Adapted from the Cyclotron liner notes. [4]

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalog
United States1992 Avant CD AVAN 010

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References

  1. "Blind Idiot God - "Before Ever After"". indivisiblemusic.com. 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Olewnick, Brian. "Blind Idiot God: Cyclotron > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. Jakubowski (January 1993). "Blind Idiot God: Cyclotron". The Wire . The Wire Magazine Ltd. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  4. Cyclotron (booklet). Blind Idiot God. Tokyo, Japan: Avant. 1992.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)