Faust

DISCOGRAPHY

Faust (1971) 10/10

So Far (1972) 7/10

w/ Tony Conrad: Outside the Dream Syndicate (1973) 5/10

Tapes (1973) 7/10

Faust IV (1974) 8/10

Faust V (bootleg, 1975) 6/10

Return of a Legend (1986)

Last (1988) 

Rien (1995) 5.5/10

Untitled (1996) 

Faust Wakes Nosferatu (1997) 5.5/10

You Know Faust (1997) 6/10

Ravvivado (1999) 6/10

w/ Dalek: Derbe Respect, Alder (2004) 5/10

Zappi Diermaier: I Spin (mini, 2005) 5/10

C'est com... com... compliqué (2009) 4/10

Faust Is Last (2010) 5/10

Something Dirty (2011) 6/10

Just Us (2014) 4.5/10

Fresh Air (2017) 5/10

Punkt (archival, 2022) 5.5/10

Momentaufnahme (2023) 4.5/10

   The compositions of Faust work as the epitome of counterpoint: movements are solely constructed to exploit the pains and pleasures of harmony/dissonance, clarity/obscurity, quietude/cacophony, etc — even the cover art is stuck in black/white. The consistent polarity is to illustrate the confusion of morality in human civilization, as we are the only species to trouble ourselves with the concept of right/wrong. 

   In 2005 the band released Impressions, a collection of their music accompanied with dissociative visuals directed by Zappi Diermaier. Zappi's video style derives from the psychedelic nonsense of Stan Brakhage, but for 2005, his visual effects are amateur and obnoxious to say the least, looking like goofy experiments in Kid Pix before anything fascinating or mysterious. Playing it encourages viewers to look away and just listen to the music as opposed to bearing with the eyesores onscreen. 

   The DVD set would come with a CD copy of Zappi's solo album I Spin. The music therein retains the avant-garde progressions of Faust by means of unpredictable instrumental accompaniment, abrupt studio trickery, and general psychedelia. The dynamics of each piece fluctuate like mad, running from simple rhythmic meditations to quirky or abrasive experiments in sound collage. On its own, the album could have posed as a legitimate Faust release, but the instrumental jamming from members outside of Zappi is missed. 

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