MasTicA: That's us! a band name that holds this Austin trio together. Gum B. sings and plays cello, mandocello and basses - lots and lots of basses. Munkey sings too, and plays sax & clarinet and guitar. And Pat, he plays the drums stuff. Monkey is young and hasn't played with any big shots yet. Gum B. played with Alejando Escovedo, Poi Dog Pondering, Arhtur Brown and Stick People. And Pat, he played with all the big shots like King Crimson, XTC, Michael Penn, Ted Hawkins, David Sylvian, The Rembrandts, Jude Cole, and oh yeah - Mr. Mister. They made this record '99 available on FWD records. It was recorded in Austin, Tx. and mixed with engineers Bill Munyon, (Butthole Surfers), and Mike Mcarthy, (Fastball). It was mastered in England with David Singleton at DGM. The group initially performed live improvisations, and the obvious chemistry between the three eventually led to these recordings on '99, with the focus on songwriting. MASTICA (pronounced Mas-TI-ca) exudes an adventurous spirit that matches intuitive artistry with musical excellence.
On '99, local warehouse pop trio Mastica offers up an inviting selection of uniquely phrased, definitely not-Top 40 original music. The Austin three-piece is Gum B. on bass, cello, mandocello, and vox; Monkey on bontempi, guitar, reeds, and vox; and Pat Mastelotto on drums and knobs. If you haven't heard of the Gum B./Monkey husband-wife team, chances are you've heard Mastelotto's drums, either with King Crimson, or in one of his many hired-gun sessions with everyone from Patti LaBelle to XTC. Mastica's debut benefits from three things: cool songs, intrepid experimentation on atypical instruments, and a Tom Waits-like ruff sonic patina, like "Crescent Moon," which has a Morphinesque ride that ends with an impromptu implosion. In spite of pockets of overused melodies, Gum and Monkey's singing delivers David Sylvian introspection and Veruca Salt extroversion. As expected, Mastelotto is prominent, as on the attractive mess that is "Mu?s de Pato," where the skinbeater uses an orchestra of compressed drums like the mammoth tom tracks of Peter Gabriel's first solo albums. "Prison" finds a clarinet, snappy snare, and bass ostinato melting with sampled audio quotes taken from Texas folklorist Alan Lomax's famous 1947 recordings of Mississippi prison songs and sayings. Superior to Moby's tinkering in the same direction, the song's amazing snippets are then manipulated beyond recognition, like a prisoner's emotional state. The song, like '99 itself, is both thought-provoking and engaging.
David Lynch - Austin Chronicle (Apr 14, 2000)
credits
from MasticA 99,
released November 11, 1999
Mr Boyle on Hammond. . ham and eggz.
(2-CD set) This two-disc recording documents Pat's ongoing love affair with the recording studio. This is Pat's own brand of rock electronica, IDM and world music played with some of the finest. Pat Mastelotto
Another stellar release from this long-lived ensemble. Though the King Crimson influence is obvious & that comparison unavoidable, these guys have made many great recordings that can't be categorized as 'mere copies'. The perfect balance of aggressive riffing and serene soundscapes. Stephen Roberts
A forward-looking record that imagines the future of Rio de Janeiro, built on intimate textures, ambient, drone, classical, and bossa nova. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 4, 2017
The title of this one is a good indication of what’s in store: wonderfully bleak ambient music conjuring funereal atmospheres. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 29, 2022