John Gavanti
An Operetta
Atavistic
I can’t make up my mind. Is this brilliant noise, or retarded trash? Are they trying to put one on over us? “Phillistine!” scream those in the know. This reissue of an original “No Wave operetta featuring members of Mars, DNA and Don King” (as the sticker proudly proclaims) also features Arto Lindsay, though in a percussive role. I can summarize it as a half hour of bizarre ranting by Don Burg (sounding not unlike a delirious Grover), delicate vocals and musical improvisation, and a libretto that teeters on the rational. Do I like it? Yes. No. Are they making fun of me? I can’t make up my mind. Atavistic, P.O. Box 578266, Chicago, IL 60657; http://www.atavistic.com
