Friday, September 19, 2008

The City Is The Corner I Stand In When I Am Bad


"A game is an activity among two or more independent decision-makers seeking to achieve their objectives in some limiting context."
-Clark C. Abt, Serious Games, Viking Press, 1970, p. 6

My move then. Using some of the same elements which created "320", and expanding upon them, "The City..." consists of one epic track called "Practical Power". The music is all original and new, although it will sound familiar to those who listened to "320". Maybe there is more of a narrative here, a lonely soul trying to go home but stopped by various obstacles. The soul toils and pleads for release, but none comes. In the end, one interpretation may be that we get out of the game by refusing to play anymore. Another may be that we find the cracks to squeeze through and escape by using the game against our opponent. "Games are for playing, not for living" is an idea I like at the moment. My hope is that this piece will permit you to tap into your own practical power and to achieve what you wish with it. Your move.

Create your own story/theme/narrative; I can only speak for my own experience listening and performing. Plenty is there for the considerate and erudite listener. Best for listening on headphones but watch the volume, it can become quite noisy at times. Operation of heavy machinery is not recommended when listening to this CD.

A 5 minute sample is posted here for your scrutiny: http://www.archive.org/details/MattHenshawPracticalPowerExcerpt_3

Hand Assembled, Packaged in a DVD case with a key to enter, escape, or unlock the practical power necessary to "win" the "game".