Unknown Instructors
The Way Things Work

Smog Veil Records    SV56CD  (2005)

Jazz
CD, 15   Tracks, 54:09  Length
01 I'll Show You Everything Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 01:20
02 Where You Find It Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 05:02
03 Punk (Is Whatever We Made It To Be) Chuck Dukowski 05:55
04 Something Eternal Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 01:24
05 Starving Artists Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 04:52
06 The New Bluesman Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 02:15
07 Punch Out the Layoff Gratuity Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 03:02
08 Walk with Me Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 06:20
09 Creature Comforts Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 02:42
10 An Evening in Hell Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 05:53
11 Scansion Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 03:12
12 Adam's Apple Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 02:20
13 Turf Songs Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 02:47
14 I Think Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 04:07
15 Lost And Found Joe Baiza; George Hurley; Dan McGuire; Mike Watt 02:58
Music Details
Product Details
UPC (Barcode) 711574561728
Packaging Digipac
Spars DDD
Sound Stereo
Musicians  &  Credits
Bass Mike Watt
Drums George Hurley
Guitar Joe Baiza
Vocals Dan McGuire
Musician Unknown Instructors
Personal Details
Index # 3635
Owner Dave
Tags Free Jazz, New Wave, Hardcore, Post Rock, Experimental
User Defined
Purchased New
Notes
After the death of D. Boon in 1985, Mike Watt and George Hurley briefly considered continuing the Minutemen with friend and frequent collaborator Joe Baiza of Saccharine Trust and Universal Congress Of taking over on guitar. Watt and Hurley opted to form fIREHOSE with newcomer Ed Crawford instead, but 20 years later these three giants of the California art-punk scene have finally founded a new project together as members of the Unknown Instructors, an improvisational quartet with the musos accompanying poet and saxophonist Dan McGuire. By any standard, Baiza, Watt, and Hurley are a mighty combination, and the blend of Joe's sharp, angular guitar figures, Watt's thick but nimble basslines, and Hurley's splashy, adventurous percussion will remind anyone why these guys have long been revered by both fans and peers, but while their chops are in fine shape and their musical imagination is solid enough, the melodic structures they conjure up on the spot are not up to the standards of what Watt and Baiza have offered in the past. More importantly, Dan McGuire isn't the best collaborator this trio could have asked for; it's significant that the most memorable set of verses here, "Punk (Is Whatever We Made It to Be)," was cobbled together from the lyrics to a bunch of Minutemen songs, and though the life lived along the margins in "Starving Artists" communicates well enough, most of McGuire's wordplay is post-beatnik poesy that wears out its welcome before the tracks come to an end. The Way Things Work sadly never quite lives up to the promise of its contributors' past achievements, but there are enough moments of beauty and strength that one hopes these players will give it another try, perhaps with another lyricist on board. Is Jim Carroll doing anything these days? -- Mark Deming (allmusic.com)