Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Elliot Sharp/Carbon: Void Coordinates

Elliot Sharp/Carbon: Void Coordinates

By Glenn Astarita
August 31, 2010
View read count

Track review of "Fermion"

Nearly every album by guitar whiz Elliot Sharp intimates a sound-shaping experience, loaded with surprises and ingenuity. His long-running Carbon band is primarily steeped in hardcore avant-garde rock mania, spiced with sizzling meltdowns and free-jazz style improvisation.

On "Fermion," the quartet launches a haunting sonic assault, which at times may seem like anti-pop morphed with metal-lite. Zeena Parkins' resonating electric harp lines project a tuneful yet ominous vibe, as the band delves into a minimalist-hued motif, followed by Sharp's powerful crunch chords and drummer Joseph Trump's peppy backbeats. Moreover, the band surges into a musical netherworld, abetted by Sharp's psyched-out and fuzz-toned melee attack, atop flickering electronics effects and rippling chord progressions.

"Fermion" duly highlights, in particular, Carbon's idiosyncratic aura; Sharp's modus operandi often residing somewhere between neo jazz-fusion, avant psychedelic rock and galvanizing free form expressionism.

Personnel

Elliot Sharp/Carbon

Elliot Sharp: 8-string guitarbass, guitar, soprano sax, electronics; Zeena Parkins: electric harp; Marc Sloan: electric bass, prepared bass; Joseph Trump: drums, percussion; David Weinstein: sampler, synthesizer.

Album information

Title: Void Coordinates | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Intakt Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Reminisce
< Previous

Ain't Got No Troubles
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.