Steve Lieberman ~ Desert Fever Brigade
Filtered eccentricity is a gift. Creativity needs a funnel -- otherwise, it gobsmacks everyone with unfixed mucky blather. The Gangsta Rabbi (his self-designation) has no internal control center. Desert Fever Brigade revealed random excess to an indefinite degree. For example, he listed that among the instruments used were a bass guitar, transverse and happy flutes, trombone, fiddle, beat machine and his voice. 22 tracks are compiled from 11 years of composition.
Steve Lieberman is a kind corresponder, obviously excitable, persistent (even with the realization that most dislike his music) and some may even refer to him as a visionary. Titles like "Hippy In the Legion of Skin-heads" and "Jewish Riot (Acoustic)" are borderline hysterical. Therefore, it is somewhat disappointing that the instrumental mush and pathetic vocal recording make one not able to comprehend his lyrics.
Feel my pain! Nearly 70 minutes rolled, while a terrible tornado of sonic cruelty slap-dashed into one maniacal entity. Mr. Gangsta Rabbi verbalizes apparent rants that reminded me of a disturbingly psychotic Balki (apologies for Perfect Strangers reference). Knife-like was Steve's use of the flute -- it waived and then pierced progressively with high pitched and blood-transfixed precision. Forget the use of an actual recording studio, Desert Fever Brigade had to have been recorded on Fisher-Price's Tuff Stuff Sing-Along Karaoke Tape Recorder.
Steve's effort and basic concepts are exemplary, but mercilessly flog innocent bystander upon delivery. Every once in a while, even when creating something "visionary", it's useful to consider critical voices and common sense.
