Emergency Broadcast Network

Telecommunication Breakdown (TVT)
by Clarendon Lavorich

A multimedia exploration into sound bites, political manipulations and hidden messages, EBN‘s Telecommunication Breakdown is a frontal assault to the visual cortex as well as the ears. The music (which includes contributions from Brian Eno and Bill Laswell) is reminiscent of Consolidated, although EBN’s ultimate point is vague. Included are histories of EBN’s members, their live show equipment, lyrics, and as the main attraction, full-length videos to three of their songs. The style with which they alter images and combine bits of film and television, throwing in visual sources of their samples, is second to none. By the end of “Homicidal Schizophrenic,” the images are distorted and rushing at you so fast, you feel as though you’ve been bludgeoned by an over-exuberant infomercial host. I mean that in a good way.