For All I Care

THE BAD PLUS: For All I Care
Heads Up, 2009

MODERN JAZZ / ROCK – A significant change for The Bad Plus here, as they add vocals (the wonderfully deadpan Wendy Lewis) and go all-out with jagged rock covers, moody pop treatments, and a smattering of modern classical... on their previous albums, these would all have been sidebars. The first half of this disc is staggering, simply mind-blowing. But unfortunately, the album is front-loaded. After that initial heavy impact, the later tracks mostly feel forced... or just dull.

* * * * | Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6

1. 4:46 – Nirvana song staggers and stutters, building to an off-center crash
2. 6:41 – Pink Floyd song: heavy atmosphere with huge soaring chorus
3. 3:20 – Györgi Ligeti piece: bright percolating patterns in ever-shifting keys
4. 6:40 – Wilco song: dark and moody, focused on vocals, 2nd half scatters
5. 3:43 – Yes song: happy-jazzy theme, dragging and dreary vocal sections
6. 2:32 – Milton Babbitt piece: clockwork movements, strong jazz groove
7. 3:39 – Bee Gees ballad, interesting choice but doesn’t really work
8. 3:21 – Heart hit, a speedy and crashing swirl around rock-diva vocals
9. 4:08 – Roger Miller song, ballad vocals in a strange tinkly atmosphere
10. 4:33 – Igor Stravinsky piece: elegant interplay, a lively dance
11. 4:47 – Flaming Lips song, pretty much a straight cover
12. 1:11 – alternate version track 6, rendered through filters

[ Fo ] 04/18/09