Well? huh. I had been really excited to catch my first actual release from the Peasant Magik crew, but this might not have been the right one. Like people always try to say? try not to approach new experiences with expectations? or something like that? I don?t really know?but being familiar with the dark, dense, and unholy drone works of Josh Lay, Teeth Collection, and Wether (who have all released on Peasant Magik), I just couldn?t help but expect this cassette to live in an equally thick, formless, and damaged zone. Regrettably, I found it lacking in any real sonic carnage. Weather Exposed Skeleton Music courts a mostly contemplative void with an approach that seems more ?cinematic? than anything else. Gone, save for a in a few choice moments, are the invitingly imaginative amorphous ethereal bursts of sludge and multilayered sonic battles. In their place are measured loops constructed from basic chords and battered with a bit of reverb/distortion. While the tape boasts a pretty warm analog sort of sound quality, many of the brief and nearly changeless musical exercises suffer from a relative stagnancy and a lack of energizing sonic progression. As a whole, the surprises are just too few.

One obvious exception is the closing track of the second side titled ?12/07/05.? Again, it rests on a distorted loop mantra, but this one feels a little more nebulous than all the other tracks. Perhaps less syncopated. More than anywhere else, Weather Exposed Skeleton Music lets the track develop into something more organic and multilayered. Rather than coming off sounding composed or with some sort of vague emotional intent, ?12/25/05? is very relaxed and, for that reason, inviting. It?s the longest track on the tape, and by the end, its slow progression pays off. Distorted synth washes, curious clamors, and the ever-present low burning cadence of looped keys all coalesce into a steadily candescent storm. It?s a moment that you really want to listen to. That bedroom drone/psych sound is totally there, and after listening through some of the more lukewarm tracks, it sounds even better. Far from essential, but recommended for people that are looking for a little more structure in their drone life. 5/10 -- Chris Bush (29 August, 2007)