USA, 2020, avant-garde jazz / vocal jazz
I’ve been wanting to get into Mary Halvorson for a while now but was busy getting my other jazz ducks in a row. But what better way to introduce oneself to a new artist than going the route of familiarity? In this case, I’m a big fan of Robert Wyatt’s and Amirtha Kidambi’s works (as different as ice and fire–but both can burn), so it was easy for me slide right into this album, which isn’t as much avant-garde jazz as it appears to be. Delightful twists and turns here and there, skipping along, quiet and nuanced, and then all of a sudden crunchy guitars knock you on your ass! The storytelling is just as strong in the instrumentals as in the vocals. The guitar work on the last track is so beautifully fucked up! Quite a ride.
Museum Musica 