I streamed Bark Psychosis' Hex album this afternoon. There was a cheapo copy going on ebay for £6. Anything between £15-£20 is the usual asking price.
The idea was to give it a play through to see if it was as outstanding as I once remembered. It was, and it wasn’t.
It’s an exceptional piece of music of which the term post-rock - whatever that might mean - was made for. What makes it all the more remarkable is that this was very much an unknown musical direction back in 1994.
The disappointment wasn’t in the music, but in me. I must have rinsed this on a home recording cassette for six months or so around 1994. Yet I didn’t recognise one single piece of music throughout the playback this afternoon.
I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing.
Hex has clearly left a memory on me as being something of interest. I wouldn’t have set up an ebay search otherwise.
But it fails to pass the Old Grey Whistle Test. You won’t get too many window cleaners whistling along to some of the dark passages that unfold as the album stretches out in front of you.
Three tracks in and I had decided that this was worth £6. It’s probably worth £10 tbh.
And then BLOODY HELL. I clicked through on ebay, only to find that the CD had been sold.
Buy now, ask later, etc.