Henry Cow's 'In Praise Of Learning' (1975), is a unique synthesis of expressionism, electronics, rock-cabaret and the avant-garde. Two expressive moments of the band emerge: the first dedicated to Zappa and Wyatt and the second developed through a trial of uncertainty characterized by long pauses in free improvisation. These elements come together with the cold, hard voice of Dagmar Krause. The overall effect is an unsettling and hostile 'Brechtian' atmosphere and severe expressive tension and mystery.
The albums centrepiece and masterwork is the long jam 'Living In The Heart Of The Beast' which consists of alternating vocal and instrumental improvisations. Nowhere other than perhaps with Stereolab's 'Ping-Pong' has the political vanguard of Marxism and the call to arms been expressed with such lyrical conviction:
"Now is the time to begin to go forward - advance from despair. The darkness of solitary men - who are chained in a market they cannot control - in the name of freedom that hangs like a pall on our cities. And their towers of silence we shall destroy.
Now is the time to begin to determine directions. Refuse to admit the existence of destiny's rule. We shall seize from all heroes and merchants our labour, our lives and our practice of history: this our choice, defines the truth of all that we do.
Seize on the words that oppose us with alien force: they're enslaved by the power of capital's kings who reduce them to coinage and hollow exchange in the struggle to hold us, they're bitterly outlasting.....Time to sweep them down from power - deeds renew words.
Dare to take sides in the fight for freedom that is common cause - let us all be as strong and as resolute. We're in the midst of a universe turning in turmoil: of classes and armies of thought making war - their contradictions clash and echo through time."
Familiars
£19.99 GBP
The Doldrums
£19.99 GBP
The Mutt's Nuts (Translucent Orange)
£19.99 GBP
Death of a Cheerleader
£18.99 GBP
Down In The Woods
£14.99 GBP
(Self-Titled)
£19.99 GBP
Supermodels (Cloudy Vinyl)
£19.99 GBP
Setting the Dogs on The Post-Punk Postman
£19.99 GBP
Liars
£21.99 GBP
Blue
£18.99 GBP
Last Building Burning
£19.99 GBP
Waste A Moment
£9.99 GBP
£10.00
Scaled And Icy
£21.99 GBP
Yungblud
£19.99 GBP
Closure/Continuation
£24.99 GBP
As The Light Leaks
£14.99 GBP
Love And Loathing
£18.99 GBP
The Golden Casket
£21.99 GBP
Thank Your Lucky Stars
£19.99 GBP
For All Our Days That Tear Our Heart
£19.99 GBP
Father Of All...
£27.99 GBP
The Deconstruction
£18.99 GBP
Ullages
£17.99 GBP
B-Sides And Rarities
£19.99 GBP
Heart Under (Translucent Blue Vinyl)
£19.99 GBP
The Soft Bounce
£22.99 GBP
The Crackdown
£21.99 GBP
Not Real
£18.99 GBP
Endless Rooms
£18.99 GBP
Expensive Sound (200g Vinyl)
£19.99 GBP
Early Live Life
£18.99 GBP
Break! EP
£17.99 GBP
Fat Pop (Volume 1)
£19.99 GBP
Sun (Yellow Vinyl)
£18.99 GBP
Still Life / Wishing Well
£9.99 GBP
£10.00
Hyperspace
£18.99 GBP
Quiet The Room
£19.99 GBP
7
£24.99 GBP
C’mon You Know
£19.99 GBP
The Future And The Past
£19.99 GBP
Gargoyle
£21.99 GBP
When You See Yourself
£21.99 GBP
In The Garden
£17.99 GBP
The Alchemist's Euphoria
£22.99 GBP
We Come From the Sun
£17.99 GBP
Fire From Heaven
£14.99 GBP
Someone To Watch Over Me
£17.99 GBP
Favourite People
£17.99 GBP