Pitchfork

Terry Riley's "In C" was his breakthrough composition, and in many ways the piece that crystallizes the ideas behind minimalism. "In C" also sits at a fulcrum in the development of the movement. Riley considered his work as an extension of the ideas of LaMonte Young (Riley focused on repetition instead of sustained tones), and Steve Reich was one of the musicians for the initial performance in San Francisco in 1964 (Reich says now that his involvement with Riley in 1964 planted the seeds that developed into "It's Gonna Rain"). "In C" is open-ended, in the sense that any number of instruments can be used, and a performance can last indefinitely. The piece is constructed from a number of short, repeating melodic phrases that can overlap or be extended at the discretion of the players; what is always constant is the key of the piece, and a repeating high C that provides the rhythmic foundation.

"In C" been recorded many times since 1964 in many different ways, but never quite like this. There is something so right about the idea that a group of superpsychedelic rock freaks would take on a composition from the minimalist canon. Acid Mothers Temple is the perfect band for the job, enamored as they are with the spirit of the 60s and the quest for the cosmic vibration (Riley has said that "In C" grew out of his interest in psychedelics.) It's telling that the inside cover of this release is a panoramic shot of Kawabata Makoto spreading his arms in front of Stonehenge. Aside from the heartening Spinal Tap associations, Acid Mothers Temple do indeed tune into something "out there" and work some magic on "In C."

AMT's version of the Riley piece starts very slow and quiet, with a tempo dramatically pitched down from a typical classical version. The root C is played on a vibraphone throughout, and as the track warms up, just the vibes and a droning organ outline the tune. The first three minutes or so are meditative and beautiful, as the single note and spare harmonies coalesce into a gentle swirl of sound. Then, from beneath the calm a gradually building herd of drums creep into the frame. Once the drums reach full volume, they become the motivating force of the track, the pace quickens, and "In C" turns into a rollicking, endless jam.

Though the sounds appropriately bleed together into a single pulsating cluster, Terukina Noriko's incredible work on vibes and glockenspiel remain the discernable element throughout. Her tone is reminiscent of steel drums as she finds endless variations on the simple themes. The other instruments are difficult to identify-- it sounds like assorted synthesizers and perhaps a sitar. If Makoto is playing his guitar, he is seriously altering the tone. But this jam is all about the collective, and it remains intense and exciting throughout its 20-minute length.

The Acid Mothers Temple original "In E" comes next (har har), and it's almost as impressive. Opening with a thick, oozing synthesizer drone, Makoto's guitar strums eventually become the focus. An open E chord provides the heavy bottom for the ensuing jam, as he drives home a slashing "Sister Ray"-style riff for 16+ minutes. This is Acid Mothers Temple finding where early-70s Detroit intersected with Krautrock. It's a thrilling piece of psychedelia that, with its more focused riffage, outperforms anything on last year's New Geocentric World.

The CD-only bonus track "In D" closes out the album with a thick, balmy drone that shifts gradually over the course of 20 minutes. There is no noise here, and no drums; in fact, if it weren't for the Far East buzz of an unidentifiable instrument, "In D" could pass as a fine Windy & Carl track, evoking images of a naturalistic trance state imbued with sunlight and billowy clouds. It's a perfect compliment to the two tracks that precede it, and a fine way to close this exceptional record. Terry's not very into the noisy stuff these days, so I'm not sure he approves. But to my ears, AMT more than honors his legacy.