Two new releases from the always adventurous label Rare Noise…
The team of Even Helte Hermansen/barg, Trond Frones/b, Bernt Andre Moen/key and Torstein Lofthus/dr wail, flail and sail through a six head banging originals. Frones leads the trudge on “Apophenia”, while Lofthus creates and avalanche for the searing “Red Kite Flight” and thrashing “Morrasol”. Moen’s shadows hover around the angry mix of punk and Pink Floyd on “Sleep Tight” and only the dreamy “This Immortal Coil” is an oasis, surrounded by the cataclysmic “Astrology (The One True Science)”. Are the stars aligned right?
Drummer, percussionist and keyboardist Mike Pride teams up a core of Jamie Saft/p, Brad Jones/dr and guests with guitarist/banjoist Mike Barr and a rotating team of vocalists for a mix of easy uptown swing and neo-Bad Plus. Sam Mickens gives a nice Neil Young sound to “Greedy and Pathetic”, JG Thirwell comes across as the second coming of Iggy Pop for “America’s So Straight” and Dave Dictor must have listened to a lot of late Billie Holiday for his read on “I Hate Work”. There’s an uptown feel on the swinging “Corporate Deathburger” and the easy feel of “Death Cops”. Attitude overrides swing.