From what I remember I knocked out a first draft of this pretty quickly, then sat on finishing it for a few weeks (at minimum) which may have helped approach editing without too much of a sense of attachment to the draft, but affected the overall flow in a detrimental manner.
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Milton Man Gogh exist. Coincidentally enough The Great Reset also exists.
The Great Reset starts with “3 Action Formula” which starts in murkiness and gradually builds in energy. It almost seems like the group just threw whatever they could together but it’s a controlled mess. The group play it all smooth and strike out with a joyous cacophony when they can warrant doing so. However, it remains serous (and groovy) music.
The following song “Youth is Wasted on the Young” is much more tame… at first. Milton Man Gogh throw a few oddities in here and there, but otherwise it feels relatively regular. Gradually space, squeaking and perhaps an implied sense of indecision come forward as percussion rolls, crashes and flickers about whilst the sax keeps on noodling away. Bass comes and goes, moving in a way that both slots in and slides away from the main rhythm. Eventually all align and a big push toward a big crash commences. Before complete release, however, the trio pull back and return to something closer to the start. It’s as though something made out to be bigger than it was.
“See You Round the Traps” is a really gentle song. It keeps things slow and relatively simple which abets a significant weight. There’s a large amount of space and so there’s more time to hear and feel each sound and note. Toward the end there’s a bit more of a sense of going big. but even so Milton Man Gogh don’t overstep. They hold back and let the mood continue to permeate; doing so paid off in spades.
It’s almost as though “See You Round the Traps” is of mourning of an ending era, or of remembrance of a past long gone; It’s difficult to say, but there is a strong undercurrent that lies somewhere near those things.
The Great Reset‘s “The Great Reset” comes in two parts. The first starts slow and kind of spaced, and feels distant and stark. There’s a sense of tension that comes forward, though it remains subtle. It’s lurking and creeping about, not willing to reveal itself. However, at the end things start picking up in intensity which then leads into the second part.
Here Milton Man Gogh keeps things heavy but there’s now a sense of tension in a groove that comes forward. Space remains and soon saxophone reaches out as though trails of smoke. The song eventually shifts into what almost is a call and response and the group ride on through a menace and drama that speaks as loudly as it does quiet.
Of course not willing to beleaguer the point, eventually Milton Man Gogh shift and take on more space. Bass and percussion play around and slowly warp and shift, unable to settle, much like The Great Reset as a whole. Soon things seem to shatter but the trio keep on playing until the call and response returns. Things get filthier in sound at this point and it nears the end but it doesn’t feel like a climax, and it’s not and a lot of energy just starts pouring out. Soon Milton Man Gogh bring things back a little and play with a stronger sense of climax and so they just go big. Then the song ends suddenly.
Maybe The Great Reset loops back to the start. Considering the conceptual and narrative feel to the whole thing, could make sense. However, it’s not exactly a perfect loop and so it’s possible that Milton Man Gogh are just having a bit of fun with the whole idea. Maybe they’re trying to set up a suggestion of clues where there are none; I don’t know. What I do know is that they make the most of the time they’ve afforded themselves here. At times there’s a lot going on; at others very little, but the music changes as required. It never feels pointless or random, despite what the surface suggests.
Milton Man Gogh are a highly talented group but what they do is not about technical wizardry. They’re taking what they know and using it to make something that is theirs. It’s something they share and, much like with prior releases, The Great Reset shows that what they do is worth experiencing.
The Great Reset is available here.
Stupidity Hole 