Locustland

Liebig, Steuart/The Mentones
PfMENTUM
Jazz | May 2004

Reviews

Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2004-05-29
Jazz/rock quartet with a harmonica in the front line. You get a taste on the first track, with the electronically enhanced harp carving blazing guitar-like lines. Everything springs off of Liebig's Ornette-minded composing, usually leading to a set of brisk solos.

This is the opposite of Liebig's previous CD, Pomegranate, which was a set of lengthy, sophisticated, near-classical pieces. These are short, down-and-dirty, guitar-minded songs... without the guitar. GE Stinson's liner notes imply this is Liebig's "primal molten state" ... seems apt.

Mostly mid/fast tempos and upbeat all 'round.

*1- Midtempo but hyper
2- Bluesy honky-tonk shuffle with free jazz collapse
3- Mid/fast, Peter Gunn-like bassline
*4- Busy, clattery percussion. Nice bass solo.
5- Cartoony/circus feel, kinda sneaky
6- Mostly a midtempo blues with an aggressive side
7- Tense and wild, but only 47 seconds
*8- Fast!
9- Slow burning-blues feel
10- Bouncy stomp, goofy attitude
11- Slower (still a midtempo), w/bit of blues stride
*12- Bumpy down-home cooker in 7/8
*13- Fast and rockin', with a bright theme

Recent airplay

Lightning Bug [7/8]
Memory SelectJul 06, 2007
Howl and Tumble
Memory SelectJul 23, 2004
Lightning Bug
Memory SelectJul 16, 2004
Lightning Bug
No Cover, No MinimumJul 16, 2004
Drifter
Morning GloryJul 10, 2004
Drifter
Memory SelectJul 09, 2004

Charting

2004-05-24 — 2004-07-26 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Jul 25 1
Jul 18 2
Jul 11 2
Jul 4 1
Jun 27 1
Jun 20 2
Jun 13 1
Jun 6 2

Track listing

1. Broom
2. Graveyard
3. Mojave Boxcar
4. Drifter
5. Honky Tonk Burn
6. Westpoint, Mississippi
7. Small Fry
8. Burnt Umber
9. Nighthawk
10. Howl and Tumble
11. Gasoline Jelly
12. Lightning Bug
13. Nowhere Calling