A couple songs recorded at...
11.5.13
16.2.13
3.2.13
The Odd Trio: Birth of the Minotaur Review
The Odd Trio stirs up familiar but still exhilarating stew with their self-produced second release, The Birth of The Minotaur (2012). With a penchant for playfully thoughtful, woven expressions on saxophone, guitar, and drums, the Odd Trio concoct a decidedly well-penned, avantjazz menu. What started out as a joyful exploration on their debut Lo-Fi Hi-Jump (reviewed here) has had its flavors deepened into a cerebral yet tuneful dish in this most recent effort.
To open, the trio head far south of their native Athens, GA to the brackish Gulfside font of American music with "Raucous Bacchus". Atop a rump-swinging rhythm from percussionist Todd Mueller, reed king Marc Gilley and loop-laying guitarist Brian Smith trade syncopated riffs beside funky blues-tinged bayous. The lead-off shuffle and Nocentelli-like guitar licks issue the calls of Mardi Gras indian chiefs with a tipsy feel; including throaty baritone sax punctuation, the track is an intoxicating pleasure referencing the Greek god it aptly venerates.
While the tongue-in-cheek "Whiskey" is experimental good fun with a discorock vibe and shredded guitar (an impossible combo?), "Sunday Morning Improvisation" closely approximates some of the Odd Trio's more subdued live musings as a free-flowing, improvised route through nebulous, sandy territory. At live shows, the resourceful Mueller, Gilley, & Smith let this kind of track pool and flow in numerous directions at once while the crowd finds a handhold for a novel journey. On record, layered themes wash over the listener in the same manner that the best orchestral music builds in waves of melodic interplay.
"Ricio de Mare" stands out as the set's most complete cut. A solid rocking introduction leads into shifting time signatures--a go-to Odd Trio technique that keeps the listener teetering edgewise. The effect is equally theatrical and bombastic, like the questionable safety of a wooden roller coaster: risky but thrilling nonetheless. Gilley's soprano soars, casting shadows around the cymbal-flecked landscape, while Smith and his guitar build drama with searing crunch. Just before a clever circling back to the start, themes in unison lend some stability to what is, at times, a fairly gnarly ride; it's packed to the gunwales with inventiveness from this classically trained cohort.
The Odd Trio seems to draw from volumes of discipline, creativity, and overall gusto with Birth of the Minotaur. Expect future explorations to continue confounding and invigorating with their by now well-established taste for challenging, original material at the forefront of instrumental jazz.
The Birth of the Minotaur - the full release via BandCamp
or B o.t. M - via CDBaby
"Pasiphae's Wild Ride" - Enjoy a side of visuals, at no extra charge
The Odd Trio @ Facebook
or T.O.T. @ SoundCloud
To open, the trio head far south of their native Athens, GA to the brackish Gulfside font of American music with "Raucous Bacchus". Atop a rump-swinging rhythm from percussionist Todd Mueller, reed king Marc Gilley and loop-laying guitarist Brian Smith trade syncopated riffs beside funky blues-tinged bayous. The lead-off shuffle and Nocentelli-like guitar licks issue the calls of Mardi Gras indian chiefs with a tipsy feel; including throaty baritone sax punctuation, the track is an intoxicating pleasure referencing the Greek god it aptly venerates.
While the tongue-in-cheek "Whiskey" is experimental good fun with a discorock vibe and shredded guitar (an impossible combo?), "Sunday Morning Improvisation" closely approximates some of the Odd Trio's more subdued live musings as a free-flowing, improvised route through nebulous, sandy territory. At live shows, the resourceful Mueller, Gilley, & Smith let this kind of track pool and flow in numerous directions at once while the crowd finds a handhold for a novel journey. On record, layered themes wash over the listener in the same manner that the best orchestral music builds in waves of melodic interplay.
"Ricio de Mare" stands out as the set's most complete cut. A solid rocking introduction leads into shifting time signatures--a go-to Odd Trio technique that keeps the listener teetering edgewise. The effect is equally theatrical and bombastic, like the questionable safety of a wooden roller coaster: risky but thrilling nonetheless. Gilley's soprano soars, casting shadows around the cymbal-flecked landscape, while Smith and his guitar build drama with searing crunch. Just before a clever circling back to the start, themes in unison lend some stability to what is, at times, a fairly gnarly ride; it's packed to the gunwales with inventiveness from this classically trained cohort.
The Odd Trio seems to draw from volumes of discipline, creativity, and overall gusto with Birth of the Minotaur. Expect future explorations to continue confounding and invigorating with their by now well-established taste for challenging, original material at the forefront of instrumental jazz.
The Birth of the Minotaur - the full release via BandCamp
or B o.t. M - via CDBaby
"Pasiphae's Wild Ride" - Enjoy a side of visuals, at no extra charge
The Odd Trio @ Facebook
or T.O.T. @ SoundCloud
13.1.13
Academy Awards Contest ~ Take 4
Alright folks, here we go again. Oscar is back and he (it?) is looking for a cozy mantle. This time around, there're 14 picks on the ballot, at least for the sake of this here lil' contest. Having added in various television awards just seems like stepping on Emmy's toes, so I'm not going there, y'hear? Just the motion pictures, the talkies, the silver screen.
Best Picture, Drama:
“Argo”
“Django Unchained”
“Life of Pi”
“Lincoln”
“Zero Dark Thirty”
Best Picture, Musical or Comedy:
“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
“Les Misérables”
“Moonrise Kindgom”
“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
“Silver Linings Playbook”
Best Director:
Ben Affleck, “Argo”
Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”
Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”
Best Actress, Drama:
Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Marion Cotillard, “Rust and Bone”
Helen Mirren, “Hitchcock”
Naomi Watts, “The Impossible”
Rachel Weisz, “The Deep Blue Sea”
Best Actor, Drama:
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
Richard Gere, “Arbitrage”
John Hawkes, “The Sessions”
Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”
Denzel Washington, “Flight”
Best Actor, Musical or Comedy:
Jack Black, “Bernie”
Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Hugh Jackman, “Les Misérables ”
Ewan MCGregor, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Bill Murray, “Hyde Park on Hudson”
Best Actress, Musical or Comedy:
Emily Blunt, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Judi Dench, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Maggie Smith, “Quartet”
Meryl Streep, “Hope Springs”
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, “The Master”
Sally Field, “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables”
Helen Hunt, “The Sessions”
Nicole Kidman, “The Paperboy”
Best Supporting Actor:
Alan Arkin, “Argo”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Django Unchained”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”
Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”
Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”
Best Screenplay:
Mark Boal, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Tony Kushner, “Lincoln”
David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”
Chris Terrio, “Argo”
Best Original Score:
Dario Marianelli, “Anna Karenina”
Alexandre Desplat, “Argo”
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimet & Reinhold Heil, “Cloud Atlas”
Michael Danna, “Life of Pi”
John Williams, “Lincoln”
Best Original Song:
“For You” from “Act of Valor”
“Not Running Anymore” from “Stand Up Guys”
“Safe and Sound” from “The Hunger Games”
“Suddenly” from “Les Misérables”
“Skyfall” from “Skyfall”
Best Foreign Language Film:
“Amour”
“A Royal Affair”
“The Intouchables”
“Kon-Tiki”
“Rust and Bone”
Best Animated Feature:
“Rise of the Guardians”
“Brave”
“Frankenweenie”
“Hotel Transylvania”
“Wreck-It Ralph”
11.11.12
Ancient Autumn in Idaho: Plants Are Cool, Too!
Ancient mud pits, falling leaves, DNA, motocross, banjo, volcanoes & baked potatoes: What do all these have in common?
Watch.
Guaranteed, you'll learn a few somethings.
PF Productions: the folks behind scenes of Plants Are Cool, Too!
PACT's Halloween Special: spooky, chloroplastic fun!
Chris Martine: the bluegrass-loving man behind the series
Dave Tank: the brotherman with the research in hand
Botanical Society of America: "Dollar, dollar bill, y'all"
26.9.12
Wes Anderson: the Eye & the Ear
To say that Wes Anderson is a bit of a control freak is a grand understatement. Consider the model of the research vessel Belafonte in The Life Aquatic or almost any moment from the stop-motion masterpiece The Fantastic Mr. Fox.
The Ear: NPR's Fresh Air from May 24 featured Anderson's long time music supervisor, Randall Poster. He's the man behind many of the soundtrack choices, a wiley master of the logistico-legal hassles that go into gaining the copyright permissions from artists and publishers. The songs become so integral to the tone of every film on which he and Anderson have collaborated. For example, the use of Brazilian samba artist Seu Jorge to reinvent David Bowie tunes (in Portuguese) for The Life Aquatic added a subdued, drifting feel to the film's scenic interludes.
Mick Jagger & Keith Richards ~ "I Am Waiting" - Rushmore
Cole Porter ~ "Night & Day" ~ The Fantastic Mr. Fox
The latest release from Anderson's Indian Paintbrush (coincidentally my brother's organism in grad school) production team is Moonrise Kingdom. I've yet to see it beyond the trailer, but it can't be much of a departure from previous adolescent-themed fare. Nonetheless, with Anderson and his steady stable of just-outside-A-list stars, you can always expect charming dialogue, impeccable set design, and an excellent soundtrack.
Out on the horizon is The Grand Budapest Hotel starring Johnny Depp; as a Franco-dweller, no doubt the director knows a thing or two about movie-making with a Euro backdrop.
image hosted by The Director Is In
The Eye: Take a look at this collection of clips put together by one "kogonada". The meticulous detail in every shot is Anderson's trademark. In context, these frames add the feel of a living diorama to his films. Plus, they look cool and carry that vibey 70's aesthetic -- although sometimes I gather that it's more fun to remember that decade than to have actually lived through it.
The Ear: NPR's Fresh Air from May 24 featured Anderson's long time music supervisor, Randall Poster. He's the man behind many of the soundtrack choices, a wiley master of the logistico-legal hassles that go into gaining the copyright permissions from artists and publishers. The songs become so integral to the tone of every film on which he and Anderson have collaborated. For example, the use of Brazilian samba artist Seu Jorge to reinvent David Bowie tunes (in Portuguese) for The Life Aquatic added a subdued, drifting feel to the film's scenic interludes.
Here are some of my favorite Poster-facilitated musical moments:
Cat Stevens ~ "Here Comes My Baby" from Rushmore
Erik Satie ~ "Gymnopedie #1" from The Royal Tenenbaums
Lee Perry & Junior Marvin ~ "Police & Thieves" - The Royal TenenbaumsMick Jagger & Keith Richards ~ "I Am Waiting" - Rushmore
Cole Porter ~ "Night & Day" ~ The Fantastic Mr. Fox
The latest release from Anderson's Indian Paintbrush (coincidentally my brother's organism in grad school) production team is Moonrise Kingdom. I've yet to see it beyond the trailer, but it can't be much of a departure from previous adolescent-themed fare. Nonetheless, with Anderson and his steady stable of just-outside-A-list stars, you can always expect charming dialogue, impeccable set design, and an excellent soundtrack.
Out on the horizon is The Grand Budapest Hotel starring Johnny Depp; as a Franco-dweller, no doubt the director knows a thing or two about movie-making with a Euro backdrop.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
