E. NORMUS TRIO: Love and Barbiturates
Little King, 2013

PUNK JAZZ – This is fun! Debut release from a weird trio out of North Carolina with clarinets, drums, and an 8-string guitar/bass thing called an N/S Stick. All originals, some more on the rock side, others more jazz; the clarinet often flies headlong into “out” skronkiness but the others tend to keep things on a friendly, approachable footing.

6,8,12 are variations on track 1; the first two silly, the last atmospheric

Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11

1. 1:41 – quick paced pounding, some slow chuckles, some improv skronk
2. 2:52 – uptempo punky chugger, starts careful but clarinet solo goes nuts
3. 1:27 – relaxed, stretchy mope
4. 3:31 – brisk hopping: cute melody and speedy, slippery solo
5. 5:33 – rock: ominous beat, brief clarinet flip-out
7. 6:33 – gentle but warped ballad: picks up a nice rhythm, turns weird later on
9. 6:25 – big slow postrock: falls into a grind ‘n’ pound with sparse interludes
10. 5:34 – heavy, brooding tune with guitar out front, clarinet builds up slowly
11. 3:34 – 80s new-wave patter; clarinet wails very slowly, twists into agony
13. 4:59 – slow and lonely, gradually builds up to a heavy rumble, falls back

[ Fo ] - 30 March 2013