The Rose Has Teeth In the Mouth of a Beast

This ten-song collection is the San Francisco-based electronica duo Matmos’ most ambitious conceptual project to date. Ten historically diverse and important gay and lesbian figures are served aural tributes in a smattering of sounds that loosely reflect their accomplishments with a bevy of guests that include The Kronos Quartet, Bjork, and Antony of Antony and the Johnsons. From philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, to ‘80s remix DJ extraordinaire Larry Levan, to a controversial choice such as Valerie Solanas (who shot Andy Warhol), Matmos interpret their contributions to the modern world with a sometimes literal (Wittgenstein is quoted), sometimes imagistic recreation of their accomplishments. There’s an obvious solidarity with artists such as beat writer William S. Burroughs whose use of the cut-up method in literature perfectly syncs with Matmos’ sonic juxtapositions, or crazed ‘60s UK bedroom-record producer Joe Meek whose otherworldly surf tunes are twisted into “Solo Buttons for Joe Meek.” It sometimes feels as if they’re maybe pulling a leg or two. The punk angst of Germs singer Darby Crash’s short life is reflected in the ominous and tense industrial pressure that accumulates throughout “Germs Burn for Darby Crash” but how you might arrive at this conclusion without first being told is suspect.