Primal Complexity
loce_the_wizard | Lilburn, GA USA | 01/13/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Road Movies" by the quintet (in this aggregation) fronted by soundscape explorer Jeff Greinke requires some effort on the listener's part. Each song morphs through various stages, sometimes delving into dissonance, before emerging again in a more or less similar frame of reference.
The musicians throw themselves into creating a frothy mix that swirls and pulsates, they use their instruments creatively, interjecting a snippet, a snarl, or a pulse that somehow holds the center together. A concave of equals, this quintet lays down some superb grooves and then wobbles away, almost as if seeing just what they can get away with. (This music sounds great through headphones and makes a great energizer while recreating budget tables in InDesign.)
Sometimes the eclecticism renders sections of a track nearly (for now) unlistenable, but an amazing rhythm section not only propels the action but keeps it all solid. The trumpet may be the most distinct part of this sound, sometimes muted, sometimes wailing, sometimes crying. Guitarist Dennis Rea, the only coconspirator held over from an earlier session released by Land, plies his trade with some rather unusual effects, not shoving his way to the front, but not easy to miss either. Mr. Greinke, the wizard in this enclave, conjures up various electronic samples, rhythms, effects, and voices (which sound a whole lot like Gollum), sort of like a caffeinated Brian Eno might.
An infectious primal complexity exists here, and if these songs were broken out into separate tracks, they would no doubt find a way to reassemble themselves and proceed to get things revved up once more."
Still Growing
loce_the_wizard | 09/07/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a CD that keeps growing. On the first few listens, my reaction was along the lines of, "OK, this is good; I like it." But as I kept on moving into the CD, I found more and more underneath the surface. More than a year later I find myself still listening intensely. What at first seemed like funky melodic jazz has revealed itself to be very complex and fascinating. Just a wonderful recording."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
