Moshkiae
La Theorie des Cordes Singes Electriques 2013
There are times when I don't want to specify what kind of music this, or that, is. The main reason is how and why we listen to things. I don't do styles, formats or even follow lyrics (more often than not), as these things are not exactly about what the psychic element that the music puts forth ... something that is beyond my words, for many of us.
This album is, really, more of a stupendous rock album, than it is a jazz album, but its fusion is unreal ... and attractive, as if they knew how to get your attention many times, and the details are in so many of their pieces as to make this album ... SPECIAL ... but it is a HARD rock album in many spots, something that is not easy to find in jazz and more often than not is subdued. Here, the guitar goes, and pretty much leads the whole album, although I find that the piano touch is totally insane, and beautifully done and if anything it's like they set it other up really well, and it helps the music continue ... you never feel like ... it's time for this player to solo, or that player ... the music here drives, and if there is a solo, I suppose that many will say that the guitar is the best here, but I'm not going to downplay the piano and the rest of the players that so beautifully helped each other bring out their talent and some really neat materials.
I think a lot of folks will think of the jazz side of this group as the saxophone comes and goes, but I wonder how much that would bring the album down some ... it wouldn't be fair. It is an incredible album, and the material is wonderfully played and it makes you want to hear more ... and this album ends with the best piece of all. It is the one I love the most ... it has an incredible flow from moment to moment, as if these things were thought out and designed to flow together, and goodness, do they ever ... and I wonder if the reason for leaving it off the CD was the title of the piece, which is the name of the porn star of a few years back, Sasha Grey. And at least,you have to say that this is as attractive as Sasha ever was, but how the music "fits" is not something I wish to delve on, but my mind keeps running around it once in a while, always seemingly finding a dead-end ... or something that makes you wonder how does it fit ... but the guitar stuff here is so well done and setup to make this, likely the best thing in the whole album.
The whole album is full of special moments, and deciding which piece is better than the rest is kinda tough and not my preferred choice ... but I have to tell you that this is one album that I can put on, and listen for hours on end, on repeat, because it has so many wonderful moments, and they allow the piano, to introduce another bit, or set up a solo by the bass guitar, for example ... which tells you how well defined the music is by the piano player, and her work is amazing ... a beautiful touch, and it seems that when she is replaying the main theme to set up another part of the piece, that is sounds even better ... you rarely feel that and hear that, specially within the "jazz" mode when it seems like ... it's time for a solo ... kind of thing, instead of making the music carry you into that moment which happens here many times, and is so visible on the piece "Sasha Grey".
Several long pieces in this albu, and they are all exceptional, however, please remember that this is more of a rock album than it is a jazz album though you can feel a lot of jazz touches in the whole thing, and not only the saxophone, which is most misused in a lot of rock albums.
Not here. You are not going to find a lot of things not together, or strong here, and maybe this is what makes this a special album. And it is not everyday that you hear something that seems right and totally well played ... like they know where they have to go each and every moment to make the whole of the album so special.
