The first musical effort by the Redundant Steaks, Liquid Dwarf, Rusty Dwarf was recorded in the Lower Burton lounge of Burton-Judson Courts at the University of Chicago. The album was an exercise in technological minimalism and improvisation, with some of the tracks (such as the Missing Buddha excursions) being captured live on one track, using a single Radio Shack microphone. Many of the songs had been provoked by the Steaks' free association session in the Pit Stop mere days before they were captured on cassette (see "Whence the Redundant Steaks?"). The musical styles tackled and torpedoed on LDRD were as diverse as the quality of the various recordings, and ranged from country/western (Barbecue of Love), to tuneful lounge schmaltz (Velour Domino, Paved Shoehorn), to punk (Petrified Vomit, Violent Cans, Suck My Lint). Perhaps the most remarkable thing about LDRD (which, to date, has only been released in its entirety on cassette) is that the Steaks were able to contrive its jarring musical insanity without the benefit of alcohol or illicit substances. THE TRACKS
THE PERSONNEL |