Quintron (also known as Mr Quintron) was an eccentric character who played
all instruments at the same time,
a veritable one-man band, and did so with delirious, savage intensity.
He also builds oddly tuneful instruments that complement his exuberant
lo-fi (outrageously lo-fi) symphonies.
His music is wildly improvised and can incorportate just about any theatrical
element and stylistic nuance, but, ultimately, Quintron is aiming for
dance/party music, albeit in a uniquely bizarre way. Quintron, based in
New Orleans and often accompanied by his wife Miss Panacea Pussycat, is a hybrid
between Frank Zappa's protege` Wildman Fischer, no-wave masters
Mars, minimal toy-rockers
Half Japanese,
and synthesizer's inventor Robert Moog
(and a touch of Flying Lizards when he covers
rock and roll classics).
Internal Feedback 001-011 (Bulb, 1996) is a manic exploration of the
subliminal (and not so subliminal) power of percussions, that are pounded and
scratched every possible way (Sound of A Passing Train).
The mini-album
Satan Is Dead (Bulb, 1998) is a more musical affair, with seductive
organ phrases that lend it a nostalgic appeal (as in a demented parody
of 1960s' tv sountracks) and dance beats that could haunt
disco lovers for decades:
the swamp-rock with wavering organ of Do The Stomp,
the feverish beach-party twist of Road Hog,
the epyleptic stomp of Nonstop Danger,
the grotesque zombie surf of Ninth Ward Breakdown.
The chronically distorted and out-of-tune melodies from outer space of
The Bridge,
the surreal circus gag of Organ Solo and the
confused baroque hodgepodge of A Hymn add new dimensions to the
genius of this musical clown.
The Amazing Spellcaster documents a live performance.
The First Two Records (Bulb, 1997) is an anthology of the first two
albums.
After one of his deranged interludes ("Sound Of A Train"), the songs on
These Hands Of Mine (Skin Graft, 1999) are surprisingly infectious
Meet Me At The Club House and Dungeon Master are the new classics.
Quintron has also released two volumes of
Drum Buddy Demonstration (Skin Graft, 2000), "drum buddy" being one of
his inventions.
The Unmasked Organ Light-Year of Inifinity Man (Bulb, 2000)
Tracks:
Rhinestone Commercial ,
Mysterious Rangers ,
J. Monque D. is Wrong,
9-4-9 ,
Hurricane ,
Push Pull or Drag ,
Certain Girl ,
GQ-21 ,
You Don't Own Me ,
Peter Pan ,
Latin # ,
Slumber Party ,
Birds.
Quintron is virtually undoing the history of western music.
Are You Ready For An Organ Solo (31G, 2003) is another
varied and amusing merry-go-round of ideas, but this time
Quintron uses the studio as an instrument (which is always a metaphor for
"sells out") and even pens catchy hooks worthy of mainstream muzak
(Underwater Dance Club) and sculpts beats worthy of the dancefloor
(Miniature Breakdown).
Miss Pussycat's vocals play second fiddle to a score of guests.
The result is rarely thrilling (Teenage Antoinette).
Half of The Frog Tape (Skin Graft, 2004) is taken up by his patented
otherworldly folk ballads. The other half is simply a lengthy
field recording of... frogs.
Swamp Tech (Tigerbeat6, 2005) is gentler and more straightforward
by the standards of their albums.
If
Too Thirsty 4 Love (Goner Records, 2008) was perhaps too clownish,
on the other hand
Sucre du Sauvage (2011), recorded at the New Orleans Museum of Art
by Quintron and his wife Miss Pussycat, and divided in one half of garage-rok
organ-driven ditties and one half of music based on field recordings, was
as serious as the musician could get.