Fused
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Lord of the Harvest
Innerhythmic
Former James Brown/Parliament/ Funkadelic bassist Bootsy Collins is an undisputable funk legend, but even his best solo LPs have been marred by sloppy jams, irksomely cartoonish vocals and tedious self-aggrandizement. Innerhythmic, cognizant of Bootsy's...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
It's All Around You
Thrill Jockey
On Tortoise's fifth album, It's All Around You (Thrill Jockey), the group makes its most explicit homage yet to ECM's solemn, hushed jazz tropes. The Chicago quintet has always revered jazz's elites and peppered its albums with improvisational flurries that...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Dry Humping the American Dream
Cantaloupe Music
After reading the title (Dry Humping the American Dream) and glancing at the cover (four grown men making wacky faces), my expectations plummeted for Gutbucket's new album. Frank Zappa has much to answer for. Thankfully, though, the music on Dry Humping...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Launchpad
Or
Particle's debut, Launchpad (Or Music), fits into the imaginary category the band dubs "Space Porn." (Roll eyes here.) The opening title track certainly bears hallmarks of porn soundtracks (of which I have much firsthand knowledge): chikka-wah guitar flourishes...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Known Unknown
Favored Nations
Living Colour never meant squat to me. The only Vernon Reid project that's impressed this writer is Yohimbe Brothers' Front End Lifter, his 2002 electronic-funk opus with DJ Logic. Most of the crew from that work returns as an entity called Masque for Known...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Heaven and Hell
Innerhythmic
Lazy-ass bassist/producer Bill Laswell has yet a new project, Shine. It features outrageous guitarist/Praxis bandmate Buckethead and Shin Terai, a sound collagist who's recorded as Chaos Face for Laswell's old Subharmonic imprint. (Guitarist Nicky Skopelitis...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Slow Breath Silent Mind
Kufala
On the live album Slow Breath, Silent Mind (Kufala), Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey tackles such classics as Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood," Thelonious Monk's "Off Minor," John Coltrane's "Central Park West," Wayne Shorter's "Prince of Darkness" as well...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Juxtaposition
Thrill Jockey
The Austrian trio Radian seemingly strives to make the most arid, sterile music of any group in recording history. I respect that kind of ambition. Radian deploys drums, vibes, bass and analog and digital synths to create attenuated, cantankerous instrumentals...
October 2004 By Dave Segal
Phase 2
Aggregate
As grandiose tributes go, Mahavishnu Project's Phase 2 (Aggregate) gushes a love supreme. There's no disputing drummer and Project leader Gregg Bendian's devotion and surrender to John McLaughlin & Co.'s awe-inspiring jazz-rock milestones The Inner Mounting...
