Jandek @ Mono
His music is deeply personal, yet his personality completely absent from the picture
| 15 Jun 2006
For an artist whose profile makes Syd Barrett look like Elton John – over 40 albums since 1978, only a dozen or so gigs – Jandek's become something of a regular round these parts since making his unannounced and unexpected live debut at Instal at the Arches in October 2004. Tonight was his fifth show in Glasgow. Maybe he likes the weather or perhaps he has a season ticket for Partick Thistle. Although the novelty of seeing Jandek live has (more or less) worn off, there's still magic afoot here. With his slow Texas drawl over what sounds like abstract jazz with thrash metal intensity, he's a cadaverous master of ceremonies at the heart of a life-affirming hurricane.
It's paradoxes like this that Jandek masters easily. A reclusive legend, yet relaxed and sociable and playing in a city-centre pub. The archetypal musical loner playing in a trio so instinctively he and Alex Neilson and Richard Youngs could be telepathically linked. His music is deeply personal, yet his personality completely absent from the picture. Maybe he just avoids the showbiz clichés and answers to no-one but himself artistically. He may no longer be a stranger, but long may he continue to be an outsider. [John Kilbride]
It's paradoxes like this that Jandek masters easily. A reclusive legend, yet relaxed and sociable and playing in a city-centre pub. The archetypal musical loner playing in a trio so instinctively he and Alex Neilson and Richard Youngs could be telepathically linked. His music is deeply personal, yet his personality completely absent from the picture. Maybe he just avoids the showbiz clichés and answers to no-one but himself artistically. He may no longer be a stranger, but long may he continue to be an outsider. [John Kilbride]