Drummer Dylan Ryan forms his own band in order to deliver music that, in his own words, “had elements of Black Sabbath, the Cure Jaco-era Joni Mitchell, and free jazz.” Quite ambitious, to put it mildly. And in the format of a guitar trio with Timothy Young/g and Devin Hoff/b the ante gets upped even more. There is a punkish energy on tunes like a take of Paul Motian’s “White Magic” while Hoff’s jazzy grooves with the leader on “Translucent Sphere’s” simmer like grilled onions. Lots of bluesy rock bursts out at the seams as on “White Nights” and the title track, while visions and musings of Hendrix are fed back on “Mayan Sun” and “Dreamspell.” For what used to be called in rock a “Power Trio” (as in Cream, Hendrix and Trower) these guys show lots of diversity, and more importantly a smile on their collective faces here.
Cunieform Records
www.cunieformrecords.com