Category Archives: Mini-Review

Théo Ceccaldi’s Freaks – Amanda Dakota

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Théo Ceccaldi is now a renowned jazz violinist, and he is now at the heads of Freaks, an experimental jazz sextet that bridges jazz-rock with avant-garde pop and Rock in Opposition. Indeed, it sometimes sound like a jazz version of French band PoiL, which is a major plus!

What can you expect from their debut, Amanda Dakota? First of all, a lot of odd themes and harmonies are sown all around the album, and the rhythm section tries to clumsily follow in odd times and bizarre subdivisions. This is something that I like a … Read more

P.O.N. – P.O.N. (1995)

by Dæv Tremblay

The Words

P.O.N. was a Japanese jazz fusion band active in the ’90s, and whose only release is this obscure self-titled album. I wanted to talk about it, however, because it is still relevant in today’s world due to its high production value and contemporary sound. P.O.N. features forty-five minutes of blazing saxophone, guitar, and vibraphone on top of a Zappaesque backing band.

How so? Well, if the regular rhythmic modulations — frequently shifting from straight eighths to many different n-tuplets — didn’t tip you off, you might as well be deaf. However, it is, in my opinion, much more … Read more

Among the Rocks and Roots – Raga

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Raga is a brand new album from the experimental noise rock duo Among the Rocks and Roots, formed by Abdul-Hakim Bilal and Samuel Goff. Armed with a bass guitar, a drum set, and a voice, the two-man group play distorted and slow, cathartic music that is politically and socially engaged, lyrically. Indeed, Raga is the second part to an upcoming trilogy about addiction, and tackle the themes of abuse, race, and class conflict.

While I didn’t feel engrossed by part one of this trilogy, Samudra garba pathe, Raga is speaking to me. I have … Read more

Tin Men and the Telephone – World Domination, Part One: FURIE (Federal Union for Restoring Intergalactic Equilibrium)

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Aliens have been watching us. They have been for a long time, and they now feel like they have to intervene in order to counter the global rise of populism and demagogy in politics. This extraterrestrial commando is called FURIE (Federal Union for Restoring Intergalactic Equilibrium), and their modus operandi is to come and abduct world leaders that fall into this category. You can command the operation yourself by going to this interactive website!

This is the story behind the newest album from Amsterdam’s modern jazz band Tin Men and the Telephone. The … Read more

Mabuta, Exlimitir, Bruce Lamont, Terrestre, Antoine Fafard, Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa, Gimnàs Trinku Trinku, Nostril Caverns, and Jean Jean

by Dæv Tremblay

Mabuta – Welcome to This World

This South African quartet… Wait no it says five piece band… But wait, there are six names credited. WHICH IS IT, THEN?

That conundrum aside, Mabuta is a world fusion jazz band from Cape Town, and this is their debut album. It does an excellent job of bringing you some tasty fusion licks along with some traditional African music embedded in it. Welcome to This World is a fantastic debut!

Exlimitir – It Weighed Itself in Silver

This is some top-tier death metal with technical leanings in the vein of Demilich, Diskord, Thoren, and … Read more