Ever since he started making music in the late 1940s Moondog has taken his own singular path. The trajectory of his journey arcs upwards all the way to this remarkable high point in 1969. The range and quality of his output is staggering. The resolve that drove him was absolute. His determination to turn his lucid dreams into sound was not hindered by his blindness or lack of commercial success. His visionary approach is testament to the power of one delightfully untethered imagination run wild.
The audacious start he made with Snaketime Rhythms in 1949 was a portent of many more magical experiments to come. The music in his head was of a kind the world had never heard before. The unique way his sensory processing worked meant all sorts of unusual elements were incorporated. He seemed determined to break down the separation between sound and the academic definition of music.
This record was the second of a remarkable set he made with the producer James William Guerico. Taken together, the two represent the high watermark of his career. Having the resources of Columbia records at his disposal certainly helped with the scale of his ambition. Each album shimmers with an incandescent love for sound.
The first was instrumental but Moondog 2 (1971) is comprised of vocal compositions in canons, rounds and madrigals. It's a highly structured cacophony of voices. The effect is mesmerising. There is so much to take in, it's pointless concentrating on the detail. Better to let the relentless soundwaves wash over you.
However long you spend on this shoreline will be time well spent. The joy that underpins it all is ever-present. It’s perfect in every way. Just like a dream.
