This is a very unusual box set and different people will be desirous of it for different reasons. It's a set of five 12" vinyl picture-discs that feature contributions from a disparate group of musicians, authors, actors and other glitterati. This content is not really the kind of thing that can be critiqued here, or really that needs critiquing at all. All of the contributions are very short and many of the cuts are not what you'd expect. For example: if you're a U2 freak you probably don't want to rush out and buy this collection for the U2 cut, "Human Rights." It is only a quick mιlange of spoken word and chanting. The idea here is to take all of the content together as an avant-garde piece of performance art. As such it works nicely---there is plenty here to perk up ears and start conversation.
On side one, which closes with the U2 piece, you'll find Adrock going back to back with David Byrne and Lalo Schifrin; Adrock's "The Dog Park Mix" starts with a recording of barking dogs that eventually morphs into a hip beat, Byrne croons an actual song ("Polaroid Picture") and Schifrin, known primarily for his soundtrack work, burns up the piano keyboard with a dose of hot jazz. And such are the pairings and surprises throughout the package.
A little bit of a roll call of just a few of the other contributors, in no particular order: Nick Rhodes, Cat Power, Fergie, Milla Jovovich, Pet Shop Boys, Yoko Ono, Antony and the Johnsons, Liza Minnelli, Courtney Love, Patton Oswalt, the Fiery Furnaces, UNKLE, Helmut Lang, Sunn O))), Mark Mothersbaugh, Laurie Anderson, No Bra, Bebel Gilberto, Danger Mouse, Liars, Malcolm McLaren, Karen O, Panda Bear, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon and David Sylvian.
Again, when having expectations from these people, remember that things are not always what they seem---much of this stuff is experimental or even throwaway and would not work outside of this concept. But start it spinning at a party and you'll have everyone's attention fairly quickly.
The set also comes with the content on a pair of CDs so you don't have to actually play the picture-discs if you don't want to. And many won't want to---the artwork is surreal and fascinating; you could easily frame them and hang them on the wall but then you're going to miss out on the half of the art that you can't see. It's not important that you are familiar with the artists who designed the picture-discs in order to enjoy the art, but you may know some of the names: Nick Knight, Anne Blessman and Peter Saville, Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Mario Sorrenti, Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, Wim Delvoye, Robert Longo, Cindy Sherman, Raymond Pettibon and Ryan McGinley. Each artist or team of artists is represented on one side of a platter.
And like they say on many television infomercials, "Wait, there's more!" And you will love this part---the set comes complete with a little record player tucked into a car. Designed to look like a tiny version of the new MINI Clubman automobile, the battery powered car has a built in "Vinyl Killer" record player. Turn it on, place the car's needle in the groove and it will drive around in a spiral and play the record. If that doesn't astound your friends probably nothing will. Unless it's when the car gets to the track by Linda Evangelista, "I Don't Get Out of Bed for Less Than $10,000 a Day." You won't need quite that much to afford this set, which comes in a nice saucer shaped shell; $250 will do it.
