Frank Pahl - Remove The Cork Released - 1998 Demosaurus(France)
Released in 1998 on the obscure French label Demosaurus, Remove the Cork culls a truckload of short pieces Frank Pahl wrote for various ensembles and stage productions. It departs from the song-oriented 1997 CD In Cahoots to take an all-instrumental and more experimental direction. Yet, at its heart remains the deceiving simplicity and the odd instrumentation that are characteristics of the man's work. Ukuleles, banjos, euphoniums, and harmoniums are joined by wide arrays of toys and home-built automated instruments. With these Pahl creates eerie textures ("Epic Drone," made only of euphoniums) and catchy but detuned melodies. The opening "Toy Suite" immediately sets the mood, one that fans of Pascal Comelade will easily relate to. Ukuleles and whistling make for most of the delicate charm of "Grandmother's Treadle." "Lolita Ya Ya" is a simple pseudo-western melody endlessly repeated with a new instrument joining at the beginning of each cycle. This track and "Fireman's Dance" (with guests Doug Gourlay, Marko Novachcoff, and the ubiquitous Eugene Chadbourne totally in his element here) have the amateurish charm of a street fanfare like the Pascals or the Fanfare Pourpour. Some tracks, like the eight minute "Portrait of a Woman..." push things into more serious territory with interesting results. To fully appreciate Remove the Cork, it is best to be acquainted with Comelade's work, or to have been prepared by Pahl's more accessible album In Cahoots. In any case, you are in for a big surprise: This is the kind of music you don't get to hear often, even in avant-garde circles. It allies genius and cuteness!  — François Couture  All Music Guide

Tracks
1	Toy Suite (Pahl) - 4:20
2	Ode to Ukes #3 (Pahl) - 2:19
3	Borobadur (Pahl) - 4:26
4	Grandmother's Treadle (Pahl) - 2:49
5	Warped #28 (Pahl) - 2:46
6	Climbing and Falling (Pahl) - 3:02
7	King Cotton Waltz (Pahl) - 2:03
8	Drunken Disciple (Pahl) - 1:45
9	Automatic Marimba #1 (Pahl) - 1:44
10	One Minute for Wild Swan (Pahl) - 1:00
11	Lolita Ya Ya (Pahl) - 3:45
12	Fireman's Dance  performed by Pahl / Eugene Chadbourne / Doug Gourlay - 1:52
13	Judas  performed by Pahl / Dennis Palmer - 2:12
14	Epic Drone [excerpt] (Pahl) - 5:09
15	Portrait of a Woman... (Pahl) - 8:10
16	Norma's Theme (Pahl) - 2:55
17	Portsmouth  performed by Pahl / Brian Poole - 1:32
18	The Romantic Side of Rickrack  performed by Pahl / Terri Sarris - 3:20
19	Father's Shoes  performed by Pahl / Tim Holmes / Doctor Nerve - 3:17
20	Lost Cork (Pahl) - 1:57
21	Ruth Perry's Pictures (Pahl) - 3:45
22	Loose Threads (Pahl) - 2:31
23	Bella (Pahl) - 1:19
the Players Eugene Chadbourne   5-string Banjo, Guest Appearance Doctor Nerve   Performer, Sample Source Jonas Berzanskis   Digital Mastering Doug Gourlay   Drums, Guest Appearance Marko Novachcoff   Harmonica, Recorder, Guest Appearance Frank Pahl   Banjo, Clarinet, Guitar, Piano, Trombone, Accordion, Arranger, Chimes, Composer, Drums, Drums (Bass), Euphonium, Glockenspiel, Harmonium, Harp, Marimba, Ukulele, Whistle (Human), Kalimba, Bells, Engineer, Charango, Cowbell, Bass (Upright), Wood Block, Artwork, Siren, Jaw Harp, Tenor Banjo, Cover Art, Bass Drum, Prepared Piano, Toy Instruments, Animal Sounds, Homemade Instruments Dennis Palmer   Guest Appearance Brian Poole   Engineer, Percussion Programming, Guest Appearance Terri Sarris   Vocals, Guest Appearance Manu Holterbach   Photography Tim Holmes   Saxophone, Guest Appearance

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