Audio Riot (SF) - A Taiwanese DJ on the Mic

Hear The Track Here

First one out of the box for this yuletide is from my old sparring partner Patrick Lew who really should not be under the impression that I am singling him out for special attention. He asks for reviews and I give them, that's the way it goes. Except that Patrick, in many guises, has never quite hit the right spot for me, unless you count the endless shredded nerve ends that his music has rubbed on. See, in Audio Riot, the name means exactly what it says. I have a lot of admiration for artists who decide that everyone else is wrong and they are right and fortunately Audio Riot fit right up that street. I don't think they actually care very much about what it sounds like - its what they feel when making it that counts. Truth to be told, I don't think I have heard a full band Audio Riot track yet, just the stuff that Patrick intends to turn into band music.

If that is the term.

While Patrick has plenty of ambition, he is somewhat lacking in experience and I'm afraid that has been showing more and more as I hear more of his tracks. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, although getting listeners may be a bit of an ordeal as he is already finding out. A Taiwanese DJ on the Mic is exactly what it says; Patrick (here as DJ Audio Rage) making like 'a DJ at Club 54'. Have to say, compared to his normal output the first part of this track sounds amazing but it would do if he were using pre-manufactured sound wouldn't it? It's the second part that you become aware that this is from Patrick world...

A scary, scary place usually.

Obviously what he has done is taken a bunch of riffs without a lot in the way of continuity and structure, plonked the ocassional (out of tune) guitar lick on top of it and that's pretty much it. The riffs that he is using are pretty decent though, it has to be said, its certainly the thing that kept me listening way after I should have stopped fro my own sanity. So there you have it, Patrick world in a nutshell a place weirder than scales on a duck. And yet... and yet... Just a little further up the page is Patricks's version of the old Joe Cocker/Beatles tune With a Little Help From my Friends. Now this is one of my all time favourite tracks (the Cocker version especially) and I absolutely had to listen - well see for yourself. Have a listen to this by all means but you MUST listen to With A Little Help.

Disjointed, erratic? Naaah, just an Audio Riot. Probably for fans. (hint: With A little Help...go listen)