Test Type Trio: Crack the Bends (2003)

JAVIER AQ ORTIZ,

Javier AQ Ortiz

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2001

JAQO's bohemian life eventually led to jazz...

Recent articles (191 total)

Published: December 1, 2003

Quick and to the Point: With Towelie*, this would be a real trip.

Crack the Bends streams what could be described as musical noise-thought, channeled into organized digressions of aural sense freed from the restraints of equanimity. “Quintessential Trees” brays a saxophonic and pianistic flow with a cacophonously melodic harmonic logic of its own. Even then, this cut – as well as the rest of the album – distorts the limits of our understanding and experience of music.

Live sonic portions, including feedback; as well as studio performances, featuring bass arching that resembles jazzy white noise, reveals the Test Type Trio undercutting itself while supporting, eliciting, enhancing, expressing and breathing alienness into the music. This type of recording, unafraid of the journey, will not disappoint those attuned to musical abstraction driven by exploration. It is not recommended, however, for the uncourageous. The latter constantly risk oblivious silting until sifted by futuristic castigations such as “Wading Pool (This Song Has Hand Motions).” Its screwy marches resemble colossally enhanced nanonotes pushed into a finely slurped head, ceding into angrily rustic strings that bounce as they rush into the the closing title cut, bending all cracks better than Bender ever could...

Visit Test Type Trio & Aquarium Records on the web.

* Towelie is a character from Comedy Central's South Park. He's a genetically engineered towel that can only use his special powers of remembering when he gets high.

Track Listing: 1. Vitamin Shampoo $1.77 More 2. Go Outside and Shut the Door 3. Quintessential Trees 4. Wading Pool (This Song Has Hand Motions) 5. Crack the Bends

Personnel: Sean Behling: Sax and Production. Rich Casey: Bass. Rob Dewey: Keyboards. Joe Hastings: Guitar. Zach Michels: Drums & percussive effects.

Record Label: Aquarium
Style: Modern Jazz