The Word Underneath

by Lake Affect. features the poetry of Michael Basinski, Robert Creeley, Rosemary Kothe, Anna Reckin and Mark Peters. Lake Affect. [email protected]

Book Review by Michael Basinski

Lake Affect is an ensemble dedicated to the creation of a unique new sound art evolving from a blend of word, timbre, rhythm, and texture. The aim is to create a new vocabulary that draws on both literary and musical elements, and to invent an artistic vehicle that embraces both music and poetry. Integral to this endeavor has been the ensemble’s collaboration with living poets like those featured on this group’s new CD called The Word Underneath. The CD features Michael Basinski’s City of Webs fragments 1 and 2; Robert Creeley’s The Rhythm; Anna Reckin’s List of Flowers/Rosa; Rosemary Kothe’s Purple Passion and Mark Peters’s bucket, bucket. The CD not only features the ensemble versions of the poems by also includes the poet’s reading their work. It is quite magical and marvelous. It is a unique moment in literary evolution and any poets in involved with music must hear what Lake Affect has done with these poems and poets. Unlike anything that has been done before, this CD and the art of Lake Affect is destined to alter how we listen to poetry. It is so new and stunning that one has to listen again and again and again and soon it is dawn and the rosy fingered goddess listens also. And then - well, you hear the poets and the ensemble. It is such a blend as to be a new thing, brand new and it so refreshing to hear a new music. Lake Affect is Alejandro Rutty, Lorena Guillen, Thomas McCluskey and Tiffany Nicely.