Anvils And Broken Bells

Forceful, improvisational jazz, but not especially “free.” Leader/composer A.J. Kluth plays tenor sax and melodica; other lead instruments are trumpet and guitar. These 3 musicians play around with electronic effects as well. Rhythm section is a rock-solid bass & drums. Tracks could be played on either jazz or experimental/noise programs, or by any adventurous DJ.

All instrumental. No FCC issues.

1. ** Starts slow and spacey; shifts to fast and punchy. Sax and trumpet lead the way. Everyone goes out together in a joyful exuberant cacophony—quite entertaining. (7:49)
2. ** Slow, strange, eerie noise making to start, then guitar enters with rock-like chords. Horns play terrific lines: two different melodies played simultaneously. (8:13)
3. Opens with Celtic sounding melodica over furious drumming. Then call-and-response between the horns: passages are fast and slow, melodic and free, etc. A mixed bag. (7:33)
4. *** Slow, pastoral tone poem meets electronic noise. Features melodica and electric guitar, both with max reverb and other effects. At once both beautiful and harsh. (7:17)
5. * The only ballad here. “Cool” and lyric, classic sounding melodies on horns, set over a shimmering, translucent backdrop of cymbals, chimes, and guitar. (7:38)
6. *** Long live fusion! Harsh, dissonant melodica, then long, exciting melodies on the horns backed by rock guitar. Aggressive bass. Outstanding, satisfying piece. Up-tempo. (6:27)
7. ** Fast, wild piece. Angular, jerky horn solos atop Tom Morello-like guitar noises and a loud, funky, thumping bass. RIYL Gutbucket, say. (3:33)
8. ** Strange sounds on horns slowly emerge from the void; gathers tempo & volume to a full-scale jazz-rock riot in the middle; then gradually fades back down to nothing. (5:26)