Album Review: Jason Crumer - Ottoman Black

My cohort Frank did an awesome review for this album and inspired me to write a review that will probably be not as awesome but just as praising. I had heard some buzz on this kid Jason Crumer and little did I know that he is already extremely accomplished. I saw this band facedowninshit about two years ago at the Warehouse and unbeknownst to me, apparently Crumer was in this band. Facedowninshit is a great band and the fact that Crumer was in this band gave me a little more insight as to why this album is as amazing as it is. In addition to facedowninshit, Crumer was also in Aluminum Noise a popular noise outfit from back in the day. So I guess this dude already has a litany of harsh accomplishments under his belt, but nothing, and I mean nothing tops this latest record or even comes close. And nothing could have prepared me for the emotional journey I took with this album. With "Ottoman Black" Crumer has crafted his masterpiece and sent a strong message to the world, "Jason Crumer is here and you are all in for a world of suffering, tragedy, and self realization."

The album as with any great artistic piece is a concept and works around the probable strangulation and murder of someone close to the narrator (in this case Crumer). The album also works as an introspective piece for the listener and if anyone is fucking confused as to how a harsh noise record can make someone take a look at themselves, fucking hold on. The album is split up into five parts. The first part, "Town Crier" is also the first song and immediately we are thrown into the fire as the death bell tolls and the story is introduced. It is one of the more haunting intros for an album I can recall. Not since Hair Police's "Constantly Terrified" have I been that scared at what lays in store. Then the "News Rips Through the Community" and the true nature of what has unfolded is unveiled. In a disgusting, grimy, yet in a shockingly cohesive manner Crumer crafts his harsh noise on this song giving it an air of detachment that only makes you feel more cold and sorrowful as the blasts get louder and louder we thrown into part II.

Part II is the "Self Deciever". In a song about the probable causes for the tragic event, this song is by far the creepiest of the entire album. At every point you expect Crumer to unleash hell upon the listener but the retrained chops of harsh noise only keep you more on the edge of the seat and as the suspense grows more and more intense, he finally lets you off the hook with the extremely unsettling sound of someone sitting on a rocking chair, pondering the last few moment of their life. This is only temporary as Crumer immediately attacks the listener once more and even going so far as to confrontationally interrogate whoever is listening to the album asking, "Where Were You?" This is by far the best song on the entire album and by far the most disturbing, the darkest, the most graphic and the most frightening. This song is the actual murder taking place. You can hear the man trying to get away to no avail as he is beaten, shot, and strangled beyond recognition. The gags and dry heaves get louder behind the omnipotent sound of what appears to be machinery. As the man breathes his last breaths of this earthly world, you are thrown into the actual event. The bats are beating him so that he is a mangled mess and you cannot look away. As the tension grows louder and the events that transpire loom louder and louder in your head, so does Crumer. Crumer's beats grow louder and more deafening with everything thought and every gasp released until....

The Third Part sets in and this is "Betratal After Betrayal". Finally Crumer unleashes his fucking fury upon the audience. After building it up perfectly he hits his stride in what is my favorite part of the album. This part is nothing but sheer, terrifying, blunt and blugeoning noise. While this might be the most traditional part of the album, there is nothing ordinary about what is transpiring. As it builds up in layers there is nothing but betrayal, "After Betrayal", "After Betrayal". These two sub parts within the piece only add more texture to the sound and only leave the listener more destitute and shameful for the terrible atrocity they have just heard and witnessed. These three tracks are by far the most brutal of the entire album and given the context in which they are juxtaposed, only make this album more of a symphony than anything. With betrayal after betrayal, after betrayal, after betrayal, Crumer doesn't let you off the hook and implicates you in the murder. If there was an album that ever made the listener feel sorry and guilt ridden for all the terrible shit they've done in the past, this is it. Finally Crumer interjects letting you know "Nothing Could Have Stopped This". The tragedy was going to unfold and all the events leading up to it, all of your life that you thought you had led, was just precursor to the revolting occurence that just transpired. The song is somewhat calming but still extremely unsettling as all that has happened has left you barren of thought. You can still hear his gasps, his pleads in the back of your head. But that's not just you. That's Crumer implanting them in your brain so you don't fucking forget. Ever.

Finally in part four, the machines eat him up with "Pissed Off Responses". While this part is only seven seconds long, it is the end to an experience you will never live down and will always be ashamed of. Seven seconds is all it takes to put you in the mindframe of dispair for the rest of your being.

The conclusion and oddly enough, beautiful revelation comes with the fifth and final part and that is "Certified Blue". All parties in this experience have met with the fate that lies with them and so have you. The man meets his makers. The men who killed him must confront each other. And you must confront yourself. THis is by far the most philosophical and introspective album I can ever remember being recorded. When an album forces a listener to look inward and dissect all the terrible things they've done, that's not music. That's a metaphysical transformation. In the end, are you certified blue? Are you prepared to look at yourself in the mirror and reconcile the terrible things you've seen or might have been witnessed to and done nothing? It is a beautiful tragedy when one discovers the fault in their in lives and the tears that flow through their blood and this album is the most beautiful tragedy of a noise album I have ever heard. Calling it noise isn't even fair. It's an insult. This isn't noise. What you just heard and witnessed my friends, is a miracle.

Ottoman Black is limited to 1000 copies so if anyone is at all interested they should go pick this up online or if you are in the area, at Hospital ASAP. I guarantee you it will be gone. It is too amazing not to be.

GRADE: A+++++++++++++ (Best album of the year so far)

- Where were you?