Uninvisible

Uninvisible

ASIN: B000063DSJ

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It's possible to admire Medeski Martin and Wood's craft and guile in pushing against stylistic restraints while recognizing that their music isn't quite as much fun as it once was--or that this hugely popular trio may think it is. Full of shaggy cross-textures, plummy grooves, and spooky electronic underpinnings, Uninvisible is a lively sonic stew. Once a universe unto themselves, keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Billy Martin, and bassist Chris Wood continue to smartly expand their jam-band base, here featuring a brash five-piece horn section from the Brooklyn-based Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, turntablists DJ Olive and DJ P Love, and, for a spoken-word number, craggy-voiced Southern rock eccentric Col. Bruce Hampton. When Medeski is riding that Hammond organ and the group is taking its patented soulful detours, as on "Pappy Check" and the Booker T-ish "Smoke," all is right with the world. But even with Medeski dabbling on a roomful of other instruments, including the Mellotron, mini-Moog, and Arp, the songs don't have a lot of variety. And crowded with effects, the music can bog down in its own abstract logic--though there's no resisting the ping-pong game being played on "Off the Table." The chief rewards of Uninvisible are in the details. Until further notice, a headphone advisory is in effect. --Lloyd Sachs

Tracks:

Uninvisible
I Wanna Ride You
Your Name Is Snake Anthony
Pappy Check
Take Me Nowhere
Retirement Song
Ten Dollar High
Where Have You Been?
Reprise
Nocturnal Transmission
Smoke
First Time Long Time
The Edge of Night
Off the Table

Amazon.com

It's possible to admire Medeski Martin and Wood's craft and guile in pushing against stylistic restraints while recognizing that their music isn't quite as much fun as it once was--or that this hugely popular trio may think it is. Full of shaggy cross-textures, plummy grooves, and spooky electronic underpinnings, Uninvisible is a lively sonic stew. Once a universe unto themselves, keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Billy Martin, and bassist Chris Wood continue to smartly expand their jam-band base, here featuring a brash five-piece horn section from the Brooklyn-based Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, turntablists DJ Olive and DJ P Love, and, for a spoken-word number, craggy-voiced Southern rock eccentric Col. Bruce Hampton. When Medeski is riding that Hammond organ and the group is taking its patented soulful detours, as on "Pappy Check" and the Booker T-ish "Smoke," all is right with the world. But even with Medeski dabbling on a roomful of other instruments, including the Mellotron, mini-Moog, and Arp, the songs don't have a lot of variety. And crowded with effects, the music can bog down in its own abstract logic--though there's no resisting the ping-pong game being played on "Off the Table." The chief rewards of Uninvisible are in the details. Until further notice, a headphone advisory is in effect. --Lloyd Sachs

Customer Reviews:

Another classic.......2007-01-03

MMW is destined to be one of the best unknown classic bands of the 90's and 2000's.......great stuff thru and thru and not missing a beat along the way....new listeners should explore their larger catalog...truly an education.

Far Out MMW, (the cover says it all).......2005-07-03

The thing that attracted me to this album was the cover. I said to myself, thats MMW for you. I didn't think the cover would say how different this album was going to be, from their other previous releases. Well it did.

This is far, tricked out music! It really isn't jazz. More borderline hip-hop, drenched in their usual instrumental funk fasion. I definately wasn't expecting what I heard when I bought this MMW album. At times, I had to stumble to the next track, because there were clusters of songs that all seemed to be sounding alike with no direction. I would fast foward to the next track finding it the next one to be more of a continuation of the previous one, rather then a new composition.

There are a few shining moments on this disk, and any MMW is not bad. I still wouldn't mind listening to any MMW album. Pappy Check was the first MMW song I ever heard, and I loved it. Obviously, for me, that's one of the high points of this album.

MMW has grown, and it's almost inevitable that they will grow even further, so I'm not about to let a few dissapointing tracks ruin my love afair with Medeski Martin and Wood.

pump up the jams.......2005-03-18

this album deserves to have a track taken from it and put on the next bootybass compilation which i think is volume seventeen if i remember correctly because the dusty brothers' production is on point and very in need of a good subwoof to be thorougly enjoyed&deafened.

Good, but not stellar.......2004-09-16

MMW's most eclectic album thus far; read: sampling gets hot. For those unaware, this trio (keys, drums, bass) of musicians is known for producing high velocity funk. These guys can play, and at moments I think of comparisons involving the likes of Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Jimmy Smith, etc... And then at other times, I begin wondering if I am hearing another one of those albums that had a couple of good songs and royal moments within some songs, but overall were disappointing.

This album is not disappointing overall. It comes out hard charging, incorporating for the first time brass acoustics on one track, and serving up a healthy sampling of hip/trip-hop. It keeps up momentum with very catchy rythyms and sampling during the first four tracks, but seems to hit a lull, ironically, a little after track five and six titled respectively "Take Me Nowhere" and "Retirement Song". The albums complexity and enthusiasm seems to retire heading into track seven "Ten Dollar High", a simple little ditty. The album then enters the atmospheric ambient realm; thumping hip-hop beats that gradually become slippery funk. Unlike the live album "Tonic" the latter works on Uninvisible do not approach the chaotic compilings of "Thaw" and "Your Lady". However, I must admit that it is very difficult for me to tolerate the nitrous-oxide-voice bits that are used sparingly on this album as well as some other MMW releases. Yet, with patience, the remaining tracks show mellow promise. However, the funk-hop ambience tracks just don't reach the level of irrestible, soul-scorching transcendence such as that produced by the Eno brothers.

I struggled momentarily when considering a three or four rating for this album. My pleasure rating falls somewhere between two other MMW albums. Shackman, which I rated three, does not have the same punch and sparkle as Uninvisible, but Combustication, which I rated four, seems to delve into greater sonic depth.

Groovin' to a new beat........2004-08-28

MM&W seem to have owned the jazz/fusion genre over recent years, but with uninvisible it crosses over into a more diverse world. It seems as with the groovin bass lines of Chris Wood and the funky keys coming from John Medeski, this band has touched base with their funk/hip-hop element. But a big contributer to this would be the Antibalas horn section. The modern afrobeat group coming from of course the influence of Fela Kuti, while contributing a new feel to the groove of this album, standing out especially in the 1st track "Uninvisible." Also the amount of scratching on this record from a few DJs brings a whole new element to this album.T he stand out track for the scratching being "Pappy Check." Other track stand outs include the rather mellow essence of "Smoke," and the completely out there jam of "Take me Nowhere."
It seems as if these 3 men can intertwine with anybody and anyone's styles and they just seem to be expanding from here on out. If you're in the mood for just a timeless groove or just an overall great listen, go for this album.

Average customer rating:

Uninvisible
Martin & Wood Medeski
Manufacturer: Toshiba EMI Japan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Acid Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005Y15E
Release Date: 2002-03-27

Tracks:

Uninvisible
I Wanna Ride You
Your Name Is Snake Anthony
Pappy Check
Take Me Nowhere
Retirement Song
Ten Dollar High
Where Have You Been? - Medeski, Martin & Wood, Medeski, Martin & Wood
Reprise
Nocturnal Transmission
Smoke
First Time Long Time
Edge of Night
Off the Table
Fox [Live][*]

Album Details

The Japanese Edition of the Revered Jazz Trio's Winter 2002 Album features a Bonus Track: 'fox (Live)'

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music