JACK BRUCE — Things We Like (review)

JACK BRUCE — Things We Like album cover Album · 1970 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
2/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
'Things We Like' isn't an album to fault on the merits of its individual players or performances, so much as at a compositional level. Jack Bruce's supporting cast (two of whom he'd played with in the 'Graham Bond Organisation') work through a mix of post bop, free jazz and fusion in a sparse setting. Jack's choice of double bass is a fit for his style of playing and Heckstall-Smith keeps his phrasing fairly abstract throughout. Hiseman plays quite free and McLaughlin employs an almost gentle 1960s, rock-fuzz tone to his mostly supporting guitar.

My main concern with the record is that the pieces don't always hold together as well as I'd like. Sometimes they meander between unaccompanied solos followed by patches of ensemble playing ('Statues' for instance) or don't quite fulfill their promise (the Mel Torme cover 'Born to Be Blue' or 'Ballad for Arthur'). My other gripe with the album is the mix, it doesn't seem to suit all the material, as the more fusion-based pieces don't benefit from splitting the instruments between channels.

There are songs that do bring Bruce's cast together in a more convincing manner, like 'HCKHH Blues' , 'Over the Cliff' and the title track especially, where they bop gets a little harder and the chaotic bursts of energy are employed to fine effect.

Part of me finds two stars too harsh, but I do think this will be of interest mostly to collectors, of either Jack or John. It has its moments but the album as a whole isn't as realised as it could be. For the curious.
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