David Borden / Mother Mallard: Like a Duck to Water (2001)

An innovator in electronic and minimalist music since the 1970s, David Borden made his mark as the leader of Mother Mallard, the world's first all-synthesizer ensemble that predates groups like Kraftwerke and Tangerine Dream. In the period between 1973 and 1976, Mother Mallard released two albums, of which Like a Duck to Water was Mother Mallard's 2nd & final release (originally released in 1976). The music is a unique and extremely enjoyable blend of space electronics (à la Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze), minimal music (Terry Riley, Philip Glass), and contemporary classical & electronics (Gordon Mumma, John Cage). This album showcases a uniquely American slant on synthesizer music by a band whose pioneering contributions to the genre had been forgotten, well, until now.

Tracklist

1. Oleo Strut (10:37)
2. All Set (7:26)
3. Theme From After The Fall (4:49)
4. Waterwheel (10:02)
5. C-A-G-E Part II (20:21)
6. Downtown (6:40)
7. Harpsichord Truck (1:29)

Cuneiform Records: Rune 147