December 10, 1999 by A.S. Van Dorston

The Boredoms have long been granted respect for their artistic audacity and integrity. But for all but a small, dedicated following, their art-damaged dada noise has been pretty difficult listening. Vision, Creation, Newsun marks the evolution of a new era (or perhaps just a brief stylistic departure) begun on 1998’s Super æ in which chaos is still an element, but the free forms are reigned in for a more cohesive listening experience. That is, you won’t feel like you’ve just been pummeled mercilessly by the musical equivalent of 20 different midget clowns on crack. This time the Boredoms owe much to the German spacerock of Can, Amon Duul II, Faust (especially the tape manipulation) and early Tangerine Dream, with added hints of psychedelia, hippie ethnic percussion and even nature sounds. The nine tracks are identified only by symbols, as one song bleeds into the other, linked by cosmic chanting, continual dueling drums and effects-laden guitar freakouts. Aficionados of head-splitting Japanese noise bands may not be happy with this development, but the rest of us can revel in the most blissfully mind-expanding sonic experience of recent years.

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