(Photo courtesy of Okeh)A long weekend is coming up. For many people, this means a road trip is in order. Whether you’re headed to California, Las Vegas, or somewhere else in Arizona, there’s a good chance some of your drive will be spent ogling less than lush landscapes. The desert can be beautiful, but the lifeless expanses that accompany our highways often leave something to be desired in games of I Spy. Look no further for your entertainment than "Inevitable Western" by The Bad Plus, released in fall 2014.
The Bad Plus is a jazz trio of piano, upright bass and drums hailing from Minnesota. Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson and David King have been playing and recording music together since 2000. Drawing from diverse influences, they have crafted a sound that is simultaneously poppy and avant-garde, nostalgic and volatile.
Inevitable Western begins with “I Hear You,” written by bassist Anderson. It’s a seemingly mellow and straightforward tune with some classical flavor. The experience becomes dreamlike as a foggy recurrence of melodic material and distortion of momentum put the listener into a trance.
Anderson wrote two other tunes on the album. “Do It Again” is perhaps the most poppy track, with a cheerful, upbeat feel and toe-tapping compatibility. “You Will Lose All Fear” is absolutely stunning from the beginning; a darkly romantic piano melody with lush harmonies is accompanied by crashing waves of bass and percussion work. Explosive piano improvisations develop the triumphant theme, and after a climax about halfway through is a subdued, bass-dominated breakdown. The track is sentimental and chaotic, and definitely one of my favorites on the album.
The second track, “Gold Prisms Incorporated,” was written by drummer King. Rock influence is very pronounced in this song; a driving eighth note chord pattern dominates, pounding away alongside a rock drum part and syncopated bass line until the freer improvised section begins. The title is fitting; sweet dissonances make the harmonies shimmer.
“Epistolary Echoes,” also by King, is wickedly clever and humorous. A cozy bass groove along with a cliché hand-clap pattern punctuates an aggressively anti-cliché roller coaster of sound. As the tune derails into chaotic development, occasionally the hand-clap pattern will appear for a beat or two, hilariously out of place. Manic drum work propels the piano solo to a climax before the track ends with a playful melody, saccharine harmonies and silly new timbres.[embed height="100" width="600"]https://play.spotify.com/album/4PRgqThAaL5zciKGbCfoc1[/embed]
King’s “Adopted Highway” comes next, a dark contrast of spooky bass riffs and hissing rattlesnake drums. There’s a melancholy piano section with experimental seasonings like inner piano work and patternless percussion, making this the spaciest track on the album.
Pianist Ethan Iverson contributed three compositions to the album as well. “Self Serve” begins with a single repeated piano note and evolves into a dark and infectious groove. This tune is perhaps the most traditionally jazzy on the album, with a fast swing improvised section. Chaotic interludes unexpectedly turn into toe-tapping riffs. The outro matches the intro, with a chiming piano note a half step lower.
“Mr. Now” is an exciting tune. Iverson’s improvisations burrow their way into the ground through complicated tunnels in an earthquake of drums while chords crash down like hail. The overdramatic ending of this track feels well-earned. The finale and title track “Inevitable Western” begins with a mesmerizing bass solo. It incorporates horsey clip-clop patterns in the drums and piano which interlock with the bass. A nostalgic melody and soulful improvisation make this tune a joy to hear.
Three virtuosos contributed three stunning compositions each to this album, and the result is a diverse and emotional listening experience. For this band, funky grooves are easy to come by and quickly transformed. Head-bobbing attempts may end violently. "Inevitable Western" is a spellbinding listen and a sure way to get through your desert road trip in style.
Reach the reporter at kesample@asu.edu or follow @KatieSample1
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter
