CAPTAIN BEEFHEART — Mirror Man (review)

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART — Mirror Man album cover Album · 1971 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Warthur
Originally intended as half of a double album project, It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper (the other half was rerecorded and issued as Strictly Personal), Mirror Man was going to be the improvisational "live the studio" half of the deal. Four sprawling psych-drenched blues numbers, with the Captain taking a more restrained role when it comes to his vocals (though it's always possible that more vocals would have been added on later takes), the album opens with the almost 20 minute long Tarotplane, which is a roving improvisation that is mainly based around the blues standard You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond, and the same pattern applies for the rest of the tracks - take a classic blues track and Beefheartise it to the hilt. It's a fun insight into a side of the Safe As Milk/Strictly Personal-era Beefheart sound that didn't come across on the original studio albums, but hardly the first place you should go in exploring the Captain's work, especially considering the Captain's light vocal involvement.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

LIVE WOUND RESPONSE [OUT​.​FEST 2013] Jazz Related Improv/Composition
RHODRI DAVIES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Dominic Lash, Josh Sinton, Alex Ward Jazz Related Improv/Composition
DOMINIC LASH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Dominic Lash, Pat Thomas : Elements and Properties Jazz Related Improv/Composition
DOMINIC LASH
Buy this album from MMA partners
El Camino Sigiloso Jazz Related Improv/Composition
PAULA SHOCRÓN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lucky All Along Post-Fusion Contemporary
LISA HILTON
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Chicago - Hard to Say I'm Sorry / Get Away [Live At 55]
CHICAGO
snobb· 18 hours ago
John Coltrane's iconic Parker Blues: "Freight Trane" w/ Tobias Meinhart, Rick Rosato & Jesse Simpson
TOBIAS MEINHART
js· 19 hours ago
Yo Viné Para Echar Candela
SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA
snobb· 23 hours ago
Joe Armon-Jones - Sorrow (feat. Liam Bailey) (Official Audio)
JOE ARMON-JONES
snobb· 1 day ago
Ambrose Akinmusire - muffled screams
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
snobb· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed