Any Questions? by Delay Tactics

Pterodactyl 3:10
Hands On Fire 3:45
Oysters 3:30
On Green Waters 4:55
Almost Touching 4:25
Kites 6:00
Under The Ice 4:15
Trio 0:55
Spring Man 2:48
Woman In A Room (Of Colors) 3:35

David Udell guitars, percussion, keyboards
Walter Whitney synthesizers, programming
Carl Weingarten guitars, slide, delays
Jim Mayer electric bass (1,5,6)
Joan Bouise vocals (3)

AllMusic Review by Eugene Chadbourne

"Eventually settling in San Francisco, guitarist Carl Weingarten fronted the band Delay Tactics in the '80s as a resident of St. Louis. According to fans it was more of a recording unit than a live performance band, not that there were any venues for live music in St. Louis then or now. Strongly influenced by the work of Robert Fripp, Weingarten's group was one of an elite group whose names relate directly to equipment issues, in this case devices manipulating delay, looping, echo, and so forth. The surprising thing about the music on Any Questions? is not that someone would do it, but how well it has held up over the years. Although too rock & roll in spirit to really be linked to fusion, it is still a predominantly instrumental music -- tracks with vocals are weaker -- in which important aspects are shared with the latter genre, including dynamic guitar textures and strong drumming. Weingarten and associates, including fellow guitarist David Udell, indeed found an original way of making music on these records and had some very good ideas. Nobody much turned around and imitated them, so as a result, these are tracks that have not dated out of either a reliance on gimmicks, or the eroding effect of copious copycatting. One highlight is "On Green Waters," floating carefully out of the speakers, as much delay planted within its musical fragments as a day at the O'Hare airport."

Credits

released October 1, 1984