Second Factionalization

Freeform jamming is trickier than it seems; the results are transcendent when the players guess right, but painfully tedious when they guess wrong. What's more, many landmark outings in that arena have benefited from astute post-production techniques, such as the numerous tape edits perfected by Miles Davis' producer Teo Macero. However, this album from October Faction doesn't offer enough inspired playing or production to justify the band's total freeform leanings -- which grew from Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn's increasing preoccupation with instrumental music. The Faction's equally improvised debut album at least benefited from its presentation before a live audience, but studios are unforgiving places when the ideas aren't coming fast enough. Ginn, compadre Tom Troccoli, Saccharine Trust guitarist Joe Baiza, and former Black Flag bassist Chuck Dukowski return from the last go-round, but there are surprisingly few real sparks, given the people involved. The album consists of two "songs" whose subject matter is largely indecipherable, but you won't really care when they finally sputter to their respective conclusions. The results sound exactly like when you lock several people together in a room who have nothing in common beyond their respective parent bands, and a yen to burn up lots of tape. Beyond some nice Baiza-Ginn guitar interplay, there's precious little to celebrate here. Avoid.