Tag Archives: free jazz

Check Out “Human Snake”, the Debut from P22

Image from P22 Bandcamp page.

P22, Human Snake (Post Present Medium)

P22 are a Los Angeles-based quartet comprising Sofia Arreguin, Nicole-Antonia Spagnola, Justin Tenney, and Taylor Thompson.  Named for a mountain lion that crossed the notorious 405 interstate to disappear into L.A.’s Griffith Park, the band’s debut full-length, Human Snake, was released in April and it’s fantastic.

While P22 could be generally classified as “punk”, it’s perhaps too restrictive and lazy a label to place on a group who make music that throws so many curves.  Yes, there’s plenty of straight up hardcore (of the west coast variety), but swaddled in a hairshirt of different textures and tempos – elements of free jazz, jangle, noise, no wave, and classical pop up, with a vocal delivery that feels as much driven by beat poetry as post-punk.  My (admittedly, older) ears kept going back to bands like Flipper, Saccharine Trust – ‘punk’ bands that weren’t interested in only playing something traditionally categorized as such.  ‘Intro’ is a good example, starting off sounding like Saint-Saens, before settling into a tense, ominous noir of loosely strummed guitar, then dissolving into some kind of beatnik marching band number and leaving on a deconstructed freakout. 

All these twists and turns keep you on your toes, but don’t feel as though they’re forcing the band’s art into artifice.  The band’s playing is incredibly tight, a fact that is sometimes missed due to the mesmerizing vocal performance, but shouldn’t be ignored (I particularly enjoyed the basslines throughout – particularly on highlight, ‘Shortly’).  Fun bonus:  I now know what a ‘terminarch’ is (the last member of a species or subspecies, in case you wondered); #themoreyouknow #edutainment.  Highly recommended.

Human Snake is available now, courtesy of Post Present Medium.

Weblabel bandcamp 

Highlights include:  ‘Human Snake, 1978’; ‘Shortly’; ‘Reprise for Steer’; ’Ending Chorus for the Terminarch’ 

Settle in and Submit to the Debut from Taiwan Housing Project, “Veblen Death Mask”

Taiwan Housing Project, Veblen Death Mask (Kill Rock Stars)

Thorstein Veblen was a late-nineteenth, early-twentieth century economist known for coining the term ‘conspicuous consumption’ (not, sadly, ‘priming the pump’) and lending a name to a “Veblen good”, one whose demand corresponds with its high price – a status symbol.  So, basically, Veblen was an early identifier and critic of the douchebag economy.  Which brings us – hard segue – to Veblen Death Mask, the debut long-player from Philly’s own disrupters, Taiwan Housing Project.  We’ve previously extolled the virtues of this particular project following release of their fantastic self-titled EP in 2015, and Veblen does nothing to mute this adulation.

As a statement of intent/table-setter, you’d be hard pressed to do better than “Salt Sugar Fire”, as Kilynn Lunsford’s multi-tracked, warbled and distorted voice projects the album’s overarching feel of an image deconstructed and rearranged in a room of fun house mirrors.  Threads of punk, no wave, glam, industrial, jazz; Wire, PJ Harvey, Diamanda Galás, Girl Band – core duo Lunsford and guitarist/feedback shaman/dial-up modem impersonator (“Authentic Alien Perfume”) Mark Feehan fleshed out the group with new members and new instruments, including violin, synth and everyone’s new/old fave, spazzy tenor sax grunts.  “Authentic Alien Perfume” is a heady brew of Cramps-y strut over a Peter Gunn rhythm, “Ideal Body Alignment” a fuzzed-up take on Pink Flag-era Wire, dissolving into a cacophonous rush of a chorus.  It’s a stunner from beginning to end, a series of disorientating soundscapes seizing control of the transmission to your TVs, smartphones, tablets, etc., that, despite flirting with the oft-derisively used “arty”, never succumb to self-indulgent wankery.  In fact, a less cruelly bland musical universe, the ‘rip her to shreds’ glam-stomp belter, “Multidimensional Spectrum” would be your go-to summer hit.  Request lines are open.

Veblen Death Mask is available now from Kill Rock Stars.  According to the press release accompanying the album, THP will be on tour in the US in July/August and in Europe in October/November.  In the meantime, you can stalk the band on fbook and the twitt and check the video for the title track, above.

Highlights include:  “Authentic Alien Perfume”, “Multidimensional Spectrum”, “Ideal Body Alignment”, “Eat or Be Eat”.

New Music: THEESatisfaction, Recognition

THEESatisfaction “Recognition” (Sub Pop)

Seattle-based spacefunk/funk’nroll duo THEESatisfaction released their debut album “awE naturalE” on local Sub Pop records in 2012 – it’s a good’un, so check it out if you haven’t already (I’ll wait…).  Now, a new track – ‘Recognition’ – is currently making the rounds as the first taster from forthcoming sophomore effort, “EarthEE” (to be released in February, also on SubPop), featuring vocal contributions from long-time collaborators and fellow travellers (and Seattleites), hip hop collaborative Shabazz Palaces.

Where much of the debut seemed informed, sonically, by 80s soul and Native Tongues’ era hip hop, this new track has more of a heavy, tripped out 70s soul/psychedelic vibe – think Sun Ra, Funkadelic, Gil Scott-Heron.  Repeated, hypnotic spoken word phrases (‘no work goes without/recognition’) over tabla and conga drums starburst into a middle third filled with spacejam synths and righteous, wailing vocals, before returning to the beginning.  A tidy, 2:30 minutes plus groove.  Looking forward to the rest of the album.

Expand your mind.  Mind power.  Power to the People.  See it.  Feel it.  Dig it.

You can download ‘Recognition and pre-order “EarthEE” on iTunes, as well as here, here, and here.  Visit Sub Pop’s page for more information on special offers, bundles, etc.