Despite the fact that two-thirds of Damo Suzuki's lyrics are incomprehensible, the power of Suzuki's delivery makes it okay. Vernissage, released in 1998, features the sprawling songs that guarantee Damo Suzuki Band will never get airplay on the local station (the shortest song on this record is... [+] Expand

Despite the fact that two-thirds of Damo Suzuki's lyrics are incomprehensible, the power of Suzuki's delivery makes it okay. Vernissage, released in 1998, features the sprawling songs that guarantee Damo Suzuki Band will never get airplay on the local station (the shortest song on this record is over 8 minutes, the longest an epochal 26:39). Ever since Damo Suzuki added his primal vocal power to Krautrock pioneers Can, he has been exploding conceptions of what constitutes how rock is done. Take for example the fact that, beginning with Vernissage, his band apparently intend only to release live albums -- some of which are seven CDs long (P.R.O.M.I.S.E.). Listeners will recognize in Vernissage what could be described as the Police meets Pink Floyd as interpreted by Can. Here you have former Can drummer Jaki Leibezeit's trademark rhythms holding down occasional bursts of '80s-style keyboard and David Gilmore-esque arpeggios, while Suzuki's howls swell and shrink as the obvious impresario sees fit. If you have the head space to drift in and out of your own thoughts during a 20-plus-minute song, then Vernissage might provide a comforting aural landscape in which to do it. ~ Sean Hurley, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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