Tom & Gerry Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
A follow-up to their recording on Erstwhile, this duo which operates under the name Tom & Gerry continued to mine the rough-and-tumble field of synth/drums duets. Lehn's analogue synth lends itself to all manner of rude noises, often sputtering and blurting along quite happily while Hemingway is a drummer who also delights in the art of clatter. The two are a well-matched pair and it's often a delight to hear them carousing, launching volleys of impolite sounds in each other's direction. On the shorter pieces, the musicians tend to confine themselves to a single territory of sound, Hemingway, for example, coaxing as varied a selection of tones out of a held cymbal as possible while Lehn elicits harsh bangs from his keyboard. Though occasionally the duo reins itself in (as on "Girandola") and investigates more subtle areas, more often Hemingway attacks his drum kit like a postmodern Gene Krupa and Lehn gamely follows suit. It's an enjoyable combination by and large; listeners who like being aurally buffeted will have a good time here. ~ Brian Olewnick, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tom & Gerry introduced German virtuoso synthesizer player Thomas Lehn to the non-European improv fans, his previous recordings being available only on small German labels in limited pressings. Lehn's chirps, dweeps, and blips originating from a VCS-3 surprised many listeners, thanks to the man's quickness, listening level, and sense of the odd. And what better way to be introduced to the North American continent than by recording with drummer Gerry Hemingway. First of all, let it be said that Tom & Gerry has nothing to do with cartoon music, apart from the title's pun. This two-CD set has been put together from Lehn's recordings of the duo's German tour in late May, early June 1997. Each musician gets lots of room to shine (Hemingway's solo at the beginning of "W7" is as good as it gets) and the whole album has been edited in order to maintain a high energy level throughout. Disc one ends the same way it started, with bowed cymbals, communicating a sense of completeness, but on disc two the listener discovers more aspects of the duo's palette (like on "D5.4" where Lehn uses a more violent attack). Tom & Gerry is a valuable album as much for the performances it documents as for the amount of thought that has been put into the editing process. ~ François Couture, All Music Guide
