Micah Gaugh – The Blue Fairy Mermaid Princess CD

Micah Gaugh – The Blue Fairy Mermaid Princess CD

"It will be difficult to find any other album which so succinctly encapsulates the essence of an artist than The Blue Fairy Mermaid Princess by the Micah Gaugh Trio. Originally recorded between 1994-1997 in various New York establishments, the record stems from fourteen hours of previously unreleased material which band percussionist, Kevin Shea, had hanging around. It's easy to imagine how the trio construct their compositions: in the most loosely banded and improvisational manner possible; escaping in jaunts through insanity and ecstatic pleasure. All recorded live at various times, there's little production to speak of, rather, we experience the 'real' band in their weird and frantic mania accompanied by background conversation, and sometimes inspired by it (see 'Cigarettes'). Gaugh croons in deep growls to swooning cabaret, off-set by sax lilts, bass laments and percussive impulses. Their style shuns accepted boundaries of form, entirely motivated by improvised interplay. At its spine there is a fulcrum of sense to cling to where all other aspects hang from in the most spurious circumstances; sometimes piano led, sometimes bass. It can be difficult to grasp specific motifs which repeat, instead the mood and atmosphere becomes the prominent facet, allowing the reactionary conversation between percussion and vocal to jar and clash. The record essentially exists without a recognisable pulse in the beat, which to some may be alienating, yet after a recalibration becomes a fascinating relationship. There's simply a different entry point into the record compared to more conventional constructions. The exposure of percussion as a voice seems to create vivid images that complement the vocal, and 'show' us an aspect which isn't at all familiar." - The Four Oh Five