Black Flag - The Process of Weeding Out
Consisting of only four tracks, (all instrumental), The Process of Weeding Out is amongst the most polarizing releases of Black Flag's catalog. Considering how staunchly devoted to one era/singer some fans of the band can be, that is quite a feat. Obviously (songwriter) Greg Ginn was not afraid to challenge his listeners, and actively refused to crank out the same album time and time again. Each release from Black Flag (particularly after Damaged) seemed to defy those who wished to sum up Black Flag succinctly, by adding new twists and turns to the ride.
The Process of Weeding Out is no different from its predecessors in its desire to attract only the most cerebral fans (in fact, the title itself implies the removal of those who "don't get it"). The band did release instrumental tracks before (on the second side of Family Man), but these songs are a new animal, even when compared with those tracks. Each of these four songs swings drastically from steady, powerful rock jams into utteral atonal abandon and back, sometimes with no warning. All three of the instrumentalists bring a unique voice to the songs, making these tracks essentially impossible to recreate without those exact musicians. Ginn's soaring, screaming guitar licks boggle the mind, Bill Stevenson pounds away start/stop flourishes of blinding speed, and underneath it all is bassist Kira Roessler providing the heartbeat of the songs which attempts (mostly succesfully) to hold it all together.
The Process of Weeding Out is an oddity of a release, to be sure, and at its absolute best it is a fascinating work of instrumental prowess (at its worst, it borders on bad practice sessions, recorded and released).
The Process of Weeding Out - 7 out of 10