Gigantomachia

Naked Future, The
Esp-Disk'
Jazz | Jul 2009

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2009-09-06
THE NAKED FUTURE: Gigantomachia
ESP-Disk’, 2009

NOISE JAZZ – Mad, aggressive quartet featuring Bay Area pianist Thollem McDonas alongside guys from the Portland scene (clarinets, amped acoustic bass and drums). Explosive energy channeled into narrow-beam group improvisation and tightly coordinated acrobatics, many dynamic and textural shifts. Very good stuff if this is your thing.

* * * * | Fo’s picks: 2, 3, excerpts from 1

1. 19:17 – fast: spinning wheels and repeated phrases, jackhammering rhythms, acrid clarinet wails and low tones, sawing bass, dramatic piano, sustained drum energy, drops to quiet passages or sudden silence every few minutes, then builds back up. The silences (at approx 3:25 & 11:00 ) make good start/stop points for excerpts.

2. 4:35 – quiet, spacious intro: floating tinkly piano, strained clarinet… then it blows up. Group slash & burn for a while, peters out, storms back

3. 9:43 – first half: stabbing/crushing piano, squealing bass & clarinet; middle section: slow, open; second half energetic with big rolling drums

4. 6:07 – spinning, disorienting: repetitive piano riffs spar with loud clattering drums, clarinet screeches, bass groans

5. 2:06 – slooow and quiet, very spacious

[ Fo ] 09/06/09

Recent airplay

We Boil The Raven's Skull Into Gold
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No Fo, $5 Surcharge FeeNov 06, 2009
We Boil The Raven's Skull Into Gold
Memory SelectOct 27, 2009
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Memory SelectOct 20, 2009
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Music CasseroleOct 17, 2009
We Binge On A Bloodthirsty God

Charting

2009-09-13 — 2009-11-15 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Nov 15 1
Nov 8 1
Nov 1 1
Oct 25 1
Oct 18 2
Sep 27 1

Track listing

1. We Binge On A Bloodthirsty God
2. We Boil The Raven's Skull Into Gold
3. We Engage The Monstrous With Our Mirrors
4. We Fly Beneath And Above The Flux
5. We Sleep In A Rabbit Hole