Hold True (Accroche-Toi)

Vertical Squirrels
Ambiances Magnetique
Jazz | Jul 2011

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2011-07-24
VERTICAL SQUIRRELS: Hold True (Accroche-toi)
Ambiances Magnetiques, 2010

FREE IMPROV – Highly creative and sometimes noisy, this excellent quartet from Canada brings humor, mystery, vision and restless energy to a widely varied set. Lots of krautrock influence here (check out #3), some Zappa, a little Fripp, just a hint of world music. The use of piano in an otherwise electric group adds a nice touch. Very fine stuff.

Fo’s Picks: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10

1. 2:56 – guitar wails over lopsided thumping rhythm
2. 6:13 – tinkly piano & percussion with exotic flute; falls into mysterious swirl
3. 9:20 – very cool creeping groove sounds like a Can track, builds up steam
4. 4:12 – clattering prepared piano & percussion: ominous start, then goofy
5. 1:42 – ambient percussion, fragile piano, slow fade
6. 10:07 – ambient noises (like an aviary) drift in, French spoken word mixed in with lonely guitar/piano improvisation, percussion rises & falls
7. 7:32 – bright piano/percussion & cool-toned guitar: glides forward, heats up
8. 9:57 – from gurgling improv to folksy-dreamy to insistent minimalist drive
9. 2:51 – cluttered improv starts spare but quickly piles up
10. 5:56 – pipe organ intro, bright upbeat sound drifts in a lazy spiral. Nice!

[ Fo ] 07/24/11

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Charting

2011-07-24 — 2011-09-25 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Sep 25 2
Sep 18 2
Sep 11 1
Sep 4 3
Aug 28 1
Aug 21 1
Jul 31 1

Track listing

1. (Put Some) Spunk In Your Funk
2. Nomads, Sparrows & Machines
3. ¡Ah/Ha!
4. Danse Des Araignées Mécaniques
5. The Shining Sea
6. L'impatience Des Poissons (Élégie)
7. Leaps Of Faith
8. La Mnémologie/Amnesiaville
9. The Nobodies
10. Resurrecting The Good