FRUSCIANTE, JOHN - NIANDRA LADES AND USUALLY JUST A T-SHIRT

Repress! Originally released in 1994, 'Niandra LaDes' is a mystifying work of tortured beauty. We hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist playing various acoustic and electric guitars, experimenting with layers of vocals, piano and reverse tape effects. Channeling the ghosts of Syd Barrett and Skip Spence, his lyrics are at once utterly personal and willfully opaque. His cover of 'The Big Take Over' perfectly deconstructs the Bad Brains' original version. The album's second part, named 'Usually Just A T-Shirt', offers 13 untitled tracks that Frusciante defines as one complete piece. This is a very welcome reissue of a genuine lo-fi, 4-track recorded masterpiece.