Jim O'Rourke is probably best known for his production work for the likes of Joanna Newsom and Wilco and his four year membership of Sonic Youth, but he has also released loads of other stuff, and is an established film maker. He has recorded three solo albums on Drag City (all named after Nicholas Roeg movies, film fans), the second of which, Eureka (1998), is really excellent.
The stand out track, Women Of the World, is one of my favourite songs. Originally written by Scottish humourist Ivor Cutler, it's surprisingly lovely for someone so associated with avant-garde music. It's built around the simple refrain "Women of the world, take over, cos if you don't the world will come to an end, and it won't take long", a sentiment I entirely agree with. The song is embellished with piano, cello, violin, viola, organ, steel guitar, synth, bells, and backwards sound effects but it never feels cluttered. Instead it builds, with the lyric and music delivered with more gusto, until it becomes a hypnotic, raga like and quite wonderful.
The album also features some of the wrongest artwork I have seen, even wronger than this. The cover above is wrong enough, but I can't find the included poster by Ma Sekiguchi anywhere to show you. Suffice to say it's a naked man admiring Bruce Lee in the sky, with nunchucks and a red bicycle in front of him. It's worth buying just for that.
Jim O'Rourke - Prelude To 110 Or 220 / Women Of The World
Buy this album, and his new album from here.
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