Random Touch: A Box and a Word Review

There’s a fine line between good progressive rock and meandering and jumbled noises. Unfortunately far too many artists - especially improvisational artists such as Random Touch - try to take their music to the extreme avant garde level and end up tripping and falling over that line. The music on A Box and a Word - if one can even call it that - is discombobulated and has no true direction and is driven by dissonance. Think King Crimson’s “Providence”, a song that seems to get in the way of the true meat of the album with its nonsensical blathering. The problem with this album is, it’s like listening to “Providence” for fifty minutes.

Now I can’t sit and rip this album to shreds, because it does have a number of redeeming qualities. A lot of these songs - once again, if you can call them songs - are rather entertaining with their ability to really pull at your senses with their often heightened sense of urgency, topped with ominous and atmospheric sounds. In fact, many of these songs would be well served if they were placed in a horror film to increase the tension. Much of the music on A Box and a Word could even perform well as intros or outros to many prog pieces. Unfortunately, all these songs are standing on their own, and there is no support structure holding them up. As far as I can tell this was actually their goal whether how crazy that may be.

This album is directed to those who enjoy improv, soundscapes, and bone chilling eeriness. Their interest group may be slim, but I’m sure they have a home somewhere.

Grade: D+