Caretaker, The - Theoretically Pure Anterograde Amnesia
Label:
Catalog#:
VVMTCD25
Format:
6 x CD, Album, Limited Edition
Country:
UK
Released:
31 May 2006
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Noise,
Ambient
Tracklist
| 1:01 | Memory One | 3:00 | ||
| 1:02 | Memory Two | 2:58 | ||
| 1:03 | Memory Three | 3:55 | ||
| 1:04 | Memory Four | 4:19 | ||
| 1:05 | Memory Five | 7:56 | ||
| 1:06 | Memory Six | 3:18 | ||
| 1:07 | Memory Seven | 3:28 | ||
| 1:08 | Memory Eight | 3:15 | ||
| 1:09 | Memory Nine | 4:03 | ||
| 1:10 | Memory Ten | 1:51 | ||
| 1:11 | Memory Eleven | 2:32 | ||
| 1:12 | Memory Twelve | 3:14 | ||
| 2:01 | Memory Thirteen | 3:48 | ||
| 2:02 | Memory Fourteen | 3:22 | ||
| 2:03 | Memory Fifteen | 3:26 | ||
| 2:04 | Memory Sixteen | 3:16 | ||
| 2:05 | Memory Seventeen | 2:47 | ||
| 2:06 | Memory Eighteen | 2:48 | ||
| 2:07 | Memory Nineteen | 3:21 | ||
| 2:08 | Memory Twenty | 3:34 | ||
| 2:09 | Memory Twenty One | 3:34 | ||
| 2:10 | Memory Twenty Two | 3:07 | ||
| 2:11 | Memory Twenty Three | 3:55 | ||
| 2:12 | Memory Twenty Four | 4:07 | ||
| 3:01 | Memory Twenty Five | 2:28 | ||
| 3:02 | Memory Twenty Six | 3:00 | ||
| 3:03 | Memory Twenty Seven | 2:54 | ||
| 3:04 | Memory Twenty Eight | 3:39 | ||
| 3:05 | Memory Twenty Nine | 3:18 | ||
| 3:06 | Memory Thirty | 2:05 | ||
| 3:07 | Memory Thirty One | 2:41 | ||
| 3:08 | Memory Thirty Two | 3:07 | ||
| 3:09 | Memory Thirty Three | 2:25 | ||
| 3:10 | Memory Thirty Four | 2:57 | ||
| 3:11 | Memory Thirty Five | 2:57 | ||
| 3:12 | Memory Thirty Six | 4:38 | ||
| 4:01 | Memory Thirty Seven | 3:51 | ||
| 4:02 | Memory Thirty Eight | 3:31 | ||
| 4:03 | Memory Thirty Nine | 1:49 | ||
| 4:04 | Memory Forty | 3:21 | ||
| 4:05 | Memory Forty One | 2:21 | ||
| 4:06 | Memory Forty Two | 3:34 | ||
| 4:07 | Memory Forty Three | 3:11 | ||
| 4:08 | Memory Forty Four | 3:01 | ||
| 4:09 | Memory Forty Five | 3:34 | ||
| 4:10 | Memory Forty Six | 3:11 | ||
| 4:11 | Memory Forty Seven | 3:07 | ||
| 4:12 | Memory Forty Eight | 3:28 | ||
| 5:01 | Memory Forty Nine | 4:07 | ||
| 5:02 | Memory Fifty | 3:20 | ||
| 5:03 | Memory Fifty One | 3:00 | ||
| 5:04 | Memory Fifty Two | 2:43 | ||
| 5:05 | Memory Fifty Three | 2:30 | ||
| 5:06 | Memory Fifty Four | 2:58 | ||
| 5:07 | Memory Fifty Five | 3:36 | ||
| 5:08 | Memory Fifty Six | 3:03 | ||
| 5:09 | Memory Fifty Seven | 3:24 | ||
| 5:10 | Memory Fifty Eight | 2:33 | ||
| 5:11 | Memory Fifty Nine | 3:03 | ||
| 5:12 | Memory Sixty | 2:06 | ||
| 6:01 | Memory Sixty One | 1:50 | ||
| 6:02 | Memory Sixty Two | 2:51 | ||
| 6:03 | Memory Sixty Three | 3:56 | ||
| 6:04 | Memory Sixty Four | 3:07 | ||
| 6:05 | Memory Sixty Five | 1:59 | ||
| 6:06 | Memory Sixty Six | 2:41 | ||
| 6:07 | Memory Sixty Seven | 2:57 | ||
| 6:08 | Memory Sixty Eight | 3:08 | ||
| 6:09 | Memory Sixty Nine | 3:03 | ||
| 6:10 | Memory Seventy | 3:16 | ||
| 6:11 | Memory Seventy One | 2:39 | ||
| 6:12 | Memory Seventy Two | 4:48 |
Notes
Limited to 250 hand-numbered, signed copies. Unmastered versions of these tracks were also released as MP3s on the official V/Vm website for free download. Release comes in a dvd style case with an 8 page booklet.
Recommendations
-
-
Caretaker, The - Deleted Scenes / Forgotten Dreams (2xLP, Ltd)
-
Caretaker, The - Selected Memories From The Haunted Ballroom (CD, Album)
-
Caretaker, The - A Stairway To The Stars (CD, Album)
-
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II (2xCD, Album)
▸ show all 3 reviews
Reviews & Discussion
This release might be the one, which along with the “vvmt24” finally nails V/Vm onto the hall of fame of influential moments in modern European music. To release a 6-double CD with one of the V/Vm aliases, the spearhead The Caretaker, is simply a way of saying, “no more messing around.” In a typical V/Vm give-and-take way this release was given away first for FREE on the internet, and then people was asked to donate money and in that way make this 6 cd box set possible. It seems quite a few people were into the idea and made it possible to press it up in a box set like this, even more interesting is the fact that the selling price for the release was nothing more than around 250 Norwegian Kroner all included.
And so, what do we get for our money? Well, 6 discs of moody Caretaker music as only he can make it with drifting hallucinating sounds, which doesn’t sound like any other so called ambient music around, and doesn’t seem to emerge from a fantasy world but from the real world in which we are living. This release is absolutely outstanding in the ever-growing V/Vm catalogue and therefore a great place to start for collectors of a visionary English act.
And so, what do we get for our money? Well, 6 discs of moody Caretaker music as only he can make it with drifting hallucinating sounds, which doesn’t sound like any other so called ambient music around, and doesn’t seem to emerge from a fantasy world but from the real world in which we are living. This release is absolutely outstanding in the ever-growing V/Vm catalogue and therefore a great place to start for collectors of a visionary English act.
The Caretaker's recordings have always captured my imagination. The idea of these tracks coming from the haunted ballroom is an intriguing concept and the sense of utter isolation and desolation is absolutely palpable. In this case less is most definitely more... yet with 6 CDs in this set you could say that more is most definitely more as well. The lengthy sleeve notes will explain in more detail the actual idea behind the release - I'm just here to relay what the content sounds like... and it really is a wonderful trip from beginning to end. For the secret isolationists, like myself, you couldn't ask for a more atmospheric selection of sculptured soundscape work and each CD provides a collection of tracks that will undermine any sense of reality you may have whilst listening. They really do transport you with hints of old-time music penetrating through the layers of noise and sound. Texturally advanced you get a real feeling of melancholy from each and every piece... whether it's the rise and fall of the almost classical background sounds or the density of the drones that sit atop them. This is an absolute treat for fans of minimal compositions and is easily one of the most impressive and comprehensive releases from the V/VM stable to date. Yes, it's quite challenging from time to time, but that's one of its charms along with the glorious delicacy, beauty and fragility. Wonderful music and to top it all off incredible value! Definitely a recommended release.
Unfortunately, this set has much of the heart but not the soul of previous Caretaker releases. While the tracks on this set have all of the inventiveness of the earlier efforts, it lacks the warm analog quality that made them so haunting. Instead, almost all of the 72 tracks have a digital, metallic distortion or filter that plagued a lot of the V/Vm output around this last turn of the century.
The good news is that if I'm not listening closely and put the music more in the background, I can ignore the digital distortion and still get into the general mood of the music. The 6th disc is in my opinion the best, in which the music takes surprising new turns through the decrepit backrooms of long-dead dancehalls.
And although only 3 CDs were technically necessary to hold all of the music (the discs average about 39 minutes each), perhaps there is some other explanation or meaning in the layout as presented. In general, I'm certainly appreciative for the music, but this just isn't my favorite Caretaker release.