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Hardcoretet: Do It Live
by Dan Bilawsky
The opening minute of Do It Live seems like a bait-and-switch scenario; with a band name like Hardcoretet, wit and power would seem to be requisite ingredients in the group's work, but only sunshine and rainbows appear at first. Fortunately, these sounds are merely a gateway into the music of this Seattle-based foursome. As this opening track develops, and as this 30-minute session progresses, it becomes clearer and clearer that Hardcoretet is worthy of the winning name it possesses.
read moreWA: Cross The Center
by Dave Wayne
On its surface, Cross The Center may seem like a guitar/drums free jazz freakout. This perplexingly named group from the Pacific Northwest, like their homies Dylan Carlson, SUNN)))000, and The Melvins, proves convincingly that it is possible to freak out with great intelligence, wit and skill. Sure, the electric guitars of Simon Henneman and C. J. Stout are predominantly distorted, detuned, and otherwise abused in order to make those otherworldly sounds. Behind this phalanx of plugged-in madness, Gregg Keplinger thrashes ...
read moreHardcoretet: Do It Live
by Glenn Astarita
Hailing from Seattle, Hardcoretet convey glimpses of vintage jazz fusion along with inferences to the region's renegade stylistic tendencies, topped off with youthful fortitude. Essentially, the group packs a big punch into this LP-length outing. A tight-knit and well-rehearsed unit, the musicians also delve into loose-groove frameworks, awash with clear and articulately executed sax and keys parts amid spiking dynamics and subtle shifts in tempo. Hardcoretet also transmits a radio-friendly vibe in spots, owing to compositions that are designed with ...
read moreNeil Welch: Sleeper
by Glenn Astarita
Sleeper is a quality product from noted Seattle new music and jazz saxophonist Neil Welch, who composed the lone 28-minute title track based on an incident that occurred during the US presence in Iraq. Sans rhythm section, Welch paints a vivid storyline, interspersing microtonal extended notes with deft subtleties and touches upon contemporary classical frameworks. Since the plot is based on a military endeavor, he generates an impassioned and intertwining progression of musical events throughout.At times listening to ...
read moreWA: Cross The Center
by Glenn Astarita
Led by prominent Seattle improvisers--drummer Gregg Keplinger and guitarist Simon Henneman--WA tenders a prime example of the regional avant-garde scene that is heavily influenced by rock and free-jazz. Spanning a few decades (give or take), Seattle's entrepreneurial spirit resides as the West Coast contingent of New York City's infamous Downtown Scene. Here, the bass-less quartet imparts a megalomaniacal viewpoint, pursuing the outside via distortion-laced guitar movements, background electronics and haunting thematic constructions. The musicians' breadth and clear-sighted focus transcends similar ...
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