Black, Jim/Alas no Axis / Splay
Album: Splay   Collection:Jazz
Artist:Black, Jim/Alas no Axis   Added:Jun 2002
Label:Winter & Winter  

Recent Airplay
1. Dec 23, 2011: Memory Select
Awkwarder
4. Dec 27, 2002: Memory Select
Cheepa Vs. Cheep
2. Sep 26, 2003: Memory Select
Cheepa Vs. Cheep
5. Oct 04, 2002: Memory Select
Cheepa Vs. Cheep
3. Apr 24, 2003: The Darling System
Cheepa Vs. Cheep
6. Aug 16, 2002: Memory Select
You Were Out

Album Review
Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2002-08-01
Somewhere between post-rock and avant-jazz, featuring thick hazy sheens of electric-guitar effects behind pokey sax/clarinet melodies. Black goes for something slow, loud, rocking but a bit melancholy, unhurried but forceful ... and all punctuated with his BIG drum sound (he's amazingly loud and powerful for a rather small, skinny guy).

More generally, Black is a free-jazz drummer who's backed the likes of Tim Berne in the past (he's also on Laurie Anderson's 2002 live CD). His drumming is excellent, but the focus here is more on his composing. Most songs do have beats and well-defined melody but lots of effects on guitar and bass.

This is a very interesting band he's got going. Hope he keeps it up.

1* - Driving midtempo beat/blur
2 - Slow creeping menace, then chaos
3*** - Hard mid/slow rocker in 5/4, followed by a prettier, quiet phase
4 - Slow, sad, loud
5 - Bubbly sounds
6 - Long drifting flow, easy melodic intro
7* - Menacing noise, slow but chaotic
8 - Slow melody
9* - Slow/mid, catchy. Gets loud
10 - Midtempo. Nice opening melody.

Track Listing
1. Aloe Evra   6. Ble
2. Icratic   7. Myndir Now
3. Cheepa Vs. Cheep   8. Ant Work Song
4. You Were Out   9. Awkwarder
5. War Again Error   10. Blissed (Selfchatter Mix)