The Bad Plus

The Bad Plus

ASIN: B00005QDZL

Track Listings

1. Knowing Me Knowing You

2. Blue Moon

3. 1972 Bronze Medalist

4. Breakout

5. Smells Like Teen Spirit

6. Labyrinth

7. Scurry

8. Love Is the Answer

Tracks:

Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Physical Cities
Life On Mars
Mint
Giant
Thiftstore Jewelry
Tom Sawyer
This Guy's In Love With You
The World Is The Same
1980 World Champion

Amazon.com

You have to hear the Bad Plus's lush, lovely instrumental approach to Tears for Fears' hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." It's a slowly-evolving meditation on the tune that clearly is in love with its melody and structure. It might be the finest jazz cover of an '80s song since Miles Davis cut Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" back in the day. The other covers, especially their florid take on Rush's "Tom Sawyer," may be likely to get the most attention of anything on the album. But they rely too much on irony, on people's previous perceptions of the music, and do not seem quite as enamored of the original. They're jokes that are funny the first time but not so much the second or third. As with the Bad Plus' previous releases, the group's original compositions are the meat of the album: "Giant" and "Physical Cities" carve out huge walls of sonic space with abandon. This is rockist jazz, a postmodern fusion that relies greatly on tricky time signatures and mashups of seemingly incongruous sound. It's not likely this music will age spectacularly well, but so what? If you're looking for some engaging and conversation-inducing dinner music preceding an evening spent watching Napoleon Dynamite or any Wes Anderson flick, this is just the thing. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

In some ways Bad Plus's best album yet.......2007-07-07

Overall, I would rate this as the Bad Plus's best album. With the excpetion of suspicious activity it has the best songwriting and it has the best adapations of cover songs of all bad plus albumns. The covers are are good choices and the adaptations are brilliant. Physical cities and Giant are interstesting new songs. Suspicious activity introduced more new songs, and in that way is better than Prog, but Prog is solid from start to finish and the overall consistency makes it Bad Plus's best albumn yet.

A good entry into jazz for rock fans.......2007-06-29

As a rock fan - and a prog rock fan in particular - I was intrigued by the concept of this CD so I picked it up. And I must say that I love it! I've always dabbled a little bit in jazz, but this recording fuses the two genres in a way that I find appealing and even fascinating. Unlike some of the reviewers, I love the "Tom Sawyer" cover; it is anchored enough in the original and then takes off with its own ideas and the awe-inspiring musicianship of the group. Having enjoyed this CD I'm going to get the others too. In the end, I think jazz aficionados can take comfort from the fact that this CD will expose some to jazz who otherwise wouldn't have given it a shot.

More touch needed on the quieter songs.......2007-06-28

The Bad Plus return with another mixture of deconstructed covers and originals. "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is done softly and less Bad-Plusy than covers on their other discs. Or, you could say it's done jazzier - the main sing-along melody doesn't appear until the end. It's a good start, and it's their best quiet song on this CD. "Physical Cities" is a thudder, which focuses on group improvisation. Cut from the same cloth as "Big Eater" (from "These Are The Vistas"), its ending is like being hit with a wooden mallet. "Life On Mars" burbles along for its first four minutes until Ethan Iverson starts playing the recognizable part of the song around David King's cymbal crashes. I don't get "Mint" -- both quiet and loud sections come and go without making much sense to me. "Giant" resolves into a pretty beginning, and is nice, though the same ostinato gets tiresome after a while. "Thriftstore Jewelry" is more nimble and dynamic, and might be my favorite original. "Tom Sawyer", unlike other Bad Plus covers, is done fairly straight and almost reverently. "This Guy's In Love With You" is a Bacharach-David cover, and "The World Is The Same" an original. Both are relatively quiet, neither reach me. You could summarize this CD by saying it's 60% quiet, and 40% loud, but the reason I give it three stars is I'm not crazy about the quiet ones. I just think they need to be played with more touch, more agility. The Bad Plus resolves its track & field cycle of "1972 Bronze Medalist" & "1979 Semi-Finalist" with the best one yet, "1980 World Champion". This is another in their strength; the fast, jagged songs. The Bad Plus would be boring if they made every song sound like "Physical Cities", so I'd like them to get better on the "Giant"-style songs.

Does anyone really LIKE listening to this music?.......2007-06-06

I can't quite shake the feeling, after listening to this alien music for the past week or so, that I've been duped. And though I think Prog is somewhat of a recovery after Give and (esp.) Suspicious Activity, I can't bring myself to totally sign on.

I have thoughts like these as I listen: Wow, Dave King brings something to his kit that few jazz drummers ever have (although I could do with a little less bombast and heavy-handiness). Or, Ethan Iverson's displaying some awesome chops (although he still strikes me as awfully mannered). Or, Reid Anderson actually has some pretty attractive songs on this disc (although the band unnecessarily beats "Physical Cities" to a bloody pulp).

Bottom line--I can't convince myself that these boys aren't stuck in unwitting self-parody. That is, attitude trumps substance. To be expected, I suppose, when a band comes with this much hype--and apparently believes it.

Nevertheless, I'm pretty much bowled over by the covers (unlike some of the other reviewers), especially the laconic tumescence of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "This Guy's in Love with You." "Tom Sawyer" strikes me as funny, and "Life on Mars" as appropriately weird.

Actually, in a lot of ways, this is a pretty killer disc, although, it must be said, the vibe pretty quickly wears thin. Consequently, I find myself not picking it to listen to for the pure pleasure it gives, but to access its quirkiness. Which, unfortunately, tends to relegate it to novelty status.

That said, it's quite an attractive novelty. Somewhere between 3 and 5 stars.

BAD PLUS = THE KINGS OF JAZZ!!!!.......2007-06-01

ANOTHER JUST AWESOME ALBUM BY THE BEST JAZ BAND AROUND THESE DAYS..THE BAD PLUS!!! I FOUND OUT ABOUT THESE GUYS THROUGH ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE AND THEY HAVE NEVER LET ME DOWN. i LIKE THE FACT THAT THERE MUSIC CHALLAGES THE LISTENER TO ACTUALLY LISTEN AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHATS GOING ON. IT'S KINDA LIKE A GOOD MOVIE,EVERY TIME YOU WATCH IT YOU FIND SOMETHING ELESE YOU DID NOT NOTICE THE LAST TIME. THE COVERS ON THIS ALBUM ARE STELLAR FROM TEARS 4 FEARS' "EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD" TO RUSHS' "TOM SAWYER" IT JUST PAIN KNOCKS YOUR SOCKS OFF! I'VE INTRODUCED THIS BAND TO PEOPLE THAT DON'T EVEN LIKE JAZZ AND THEY LOVE THE BAD PLUS!! GET THIS CD TODAY ...YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

Average customer rating:

Modern Jazz Done Right...
Dull after the first listen
Jazz for indie rockers
Transcendent Jazz
Smoooooth.

These Are the Vistas
The Bad Plus
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Give
Suspicious Activity?
PROG
The Bad Plus
Somewhere Else Before

ASIN: B000087N0V
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

Big Eater
Keep The Bugs Off Your Glass And The Bears Off Your A**
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Everywhere You Turn
1972 Bronze Medalist
Guilty
Boo-Wah
Flim
Heart Of Glass
Silence Is The Question

Amazon.com

Here's a major label debut that doesn't disappoint. For starters, Midwestern piano trio the Bad Plus--in the same vein as Dave Douglas or Brad Mehldau--clearly know a thing or two about how to mix pop music with forward-thinking jazz. The group covers Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Blondie's "Heart of Glass," and Aphex Twin's "Flim" with wit, virtuosity, and respect to the originals--these interpretations never sound in the least bit cliched or overwrought. But even the new material on These Are the Vistas is loaded with infectious hooks. Ethan Iverson uses the entire range of his piano with speed and dexterity; David King's drum fills are deftly placed, at times harkening more to electronica music's lightening fast percussion flourishes than anything on the jazz scene; and bassist Reid Anderson somehow keeps up with the madness and maintains a steady beat. Amidst all the fun is a dynamic record that holds your attention. A wonderful effort. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Modern Jazz Done Right..........2007-03-09

Upon purchasing this album for the 2nd time, I'm glad that I did. I do have to say that you have to like jazz to really enjoy and appreciate this album though. It's not for today's popular music audience. It's also not for the fans of old jazz either. The covers of recent popular music hits (Smells Like Teen Spirit / Heart of Glass) are excellent tunings that provide enough differentiations to make them beat alone. This album has a weird and small audience so I'm not recommending it to everyone but to those few who enjoy modern jazz with a flair, give it a try and you won't be disappointed.

Dull after the first listen.......2006-04-12

This might seem exciting at first, but when it come down to it, there's very little content behind this band's bravado and image. Even the name of the band seems to be shoving their 'coolness' down your throat. And that's just what the music is like, when actually, they're just not that good. This disc is at best dull, and at times it's quite messy and annoying.
If you really want to hear a piano trio that pushes out the boundaries of what's possible with that set-up, check out anything by Hiromi. Hiromi's stuff really puts this lame effort in its place.

Jazz for indie rockers.......2006-03-30

The Bad Plus have done well at promoting their image. If I didn't already know about them, I would swear they were an indie rock band. Their obvious image consciousness makes me wonder if they were ever in indie rock bands before. Also, their choice of material (popular indie rock songs and campy covers) was brilliant in attracting young fans. In fact, I was at their show and there seemed to be more young people looking around laughing and smiling at their covers than there were paying attention to the music, so that was an effective way to draw them in.

However, I think it's kind of a shame that they resort to cheap gimmickry so often. In fact, I would go as far as saying that they would not be nearly as popular if they hadn't covered "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (a very boring rendition, by the way). And the use of walkie talkies to produce feedback was pretty pathetic and didn't add anything to the music -just more cheap gimmickry.

This band gets WAY too much credit/press. Their popularity is more a result of clever marketing than it is great playing but that's the music industry for you. A lot of people are praising them for popularizing jazz again. It's great that they are attracting so many kids to jazz, but it's not like they are the first jazz musicians to play contemporary pop songs. If everyone continued to play My Funny Valentine forever, jazz would have been long dead by now.

Having said that, I will say that their original compositions are pretty good. And while I think they are all competent musicians, I prefer to spend my time listening to artists who play with more feeling. Maybe if they jettisoned the pianist and got someone with soul I'd like them more. This guy's playing is so sterile. He sounds like he came straight from the conservatory. I guess that's fine if that's your taste, but it's not mine.

I saw another review that compares them to Mingus, Rahsaan, etc. Now those guys played with feeling! Sadly, the Bad Plus do not.

Transcendent Jazz.......2006-03-13

With unparralleled rivals, Bad Plus stormed the scene, or i should say made it...The edginess acts like Medeski, Martin, and Wood were trying to implement to help bridge the gap between old school jazz traditionalists and new age freeform hipsters was burst wide open on this debut album displaying a sick amount of coiled terror of talent...While the cover songs were, as usual, exploited to shock and awe it's listeners, the originals displayed the sort of schizophrenic genius that you pray they will continue to wake up with..

Smoooooth........2006-01-20

I'll start off by saying I like it when music gets a bit chaotic, so my tastes lean towards that sort of thing; ie: Mingus, Deerhoof, Sonic Youth, etc. However, I think my opinion of this record goes beyond that.

I can completely understand a lot of the negative reviews. People get comfortable in their tastes, and I even think to an extent jazz trios have started to get comfortable and even safe ( perhaps for fear of criticism? Although I'm definitely digging the Brad Mehldau trio these days) as well. So I find it particularly refreshing that these guys not only have an interesting take on the form, but they're actually (sort of) making money at it! I know a few people playing every night and barely making ends meet.

Another thing I noticed is the criticism towards their playing ability. I'd like to offer one word to those folks: Metametrics. Look it up. In fact while you're at it check out Post Minimalism, Rock, PostClassic, etc. These guys know how to play; I've never heard anyone mess with the rhythm so much and still stay so locked in. They pull in a lot of elements and somehow manage to make it work.

Every so often I come across an album that just works. It's especially cool when it happens to be in a form that seems to need a breath of fresh air. With these guys, and Madlib (Yesterday's New Quintet), jazz is something we can keep going and have it appeal to new generations. Genres and "sticking to form" should be saved for the class room, not kept in mind when listening to a record this righteous.

Check it.

Average customer rating:

Amazing
Great Musicians, Great Music
Absolutely Brilliant
"Out there" for the mainstream
GIVE? IT'S NOT THAT GENEROUS!

Give
The Bad Plus
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

These Are the Vistas
Suspicious Activity?
PROG
The Bad Plus
Blunt Object Live in Tokyo

ASIN: B0001AP0PY
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Tracks:

1979 Semi-Finalist
Cheney Pinata
Street Woman
And Here We Test Our Powers Of Observation
Frog And Toad
Velouria
Layin' A Strip For The Higher-Self State Line
Do Your Sums-Die Like A Dog-Play For Home
Dirty Blonde
Neptune (The Planet)
Iron Man

Amazon.com

Recorded in England after a stretch of continuous touring, Give is a more-than-worthy successor to 2003's These Are the Vistas, the major-label debut that launched the Bad Plus as a significant musical force. The Midwestern piano trio doesn't just link the worlds of abstract jazz and big-beat rock--instead, they smash them together, fusing bombast and subtlety with wit and art in consistently surprising ways. It's most apparent in the covers. The Pixies' "Velouria" develops a heady layer of Spanish impressionism, while Ornette Coleman's "Street Woman," showcasing Reid Anderson's propulsive bass, is much closer to jazz expectations--the early Paul Bley trio, say, if jazz expectations get that high. Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" becomes a manifesto, pianist Ethan Iverson combining the elementary theme with an anarchic, trip-hammer right hand straight from the playground of free jazz. The originals cover even more ground--from the colliding ironies of Iverson's "Cheney Piñata" to the sweetness of drummer David King's "Frog and Toad." Produced, like the last CD, by Tchad Blake, Give demonstrates just how effectively pop production values and jazz spontaneity can interact. King's drumming alone is a sonic and creative highlight throughout. Along with a new aesthetic, the Bad Plus has already begun to define a new audience, and this CD should both delight and enlarge it. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2006-01-05

i first heard the song "and here we test our powers of observation" on a public radio station (89.3 the current) and immidiately thought it was one of the coolest things i'd ever heard. i initially noticed the extremely complex drumming behind the incredible piano and how the band seemlessly changes tones and feel within a song. i got the album and soon found that i didn't want to listen to anything else. its complexity makes very repeat-listen-friendly. "velouria" is absolutely beautiful, a wonderful cover. this is a great listen for those new to post-bop jazz.

Great Musicians, Great Music.......2005-09-21

I think this album, along with anything else with that you can find these guys playing on, is a great listen each and every time you listen. I am constantly hearing new things that I never heard before and my respect for these guys is always increasing. They love what they're doing and it shows. Thanks

Absolutely Brilliant.......2005-06-20

There are few albums out there that I could listen to over and over again and never get tired of it. This album is jazz musicianship at its absolute finest. The writing is gripping, aggressive, outrageous, flamboyant and exciting. The arrangements are astonishing. The improvisation is nothing short of musical pyrotechnics. This ensemble plays as a unit whether any one member is being featured or not. They all support eachother creating a tight knit musical web. The diversity of the album spans all gaps, we see everything from Ornette Coleman to Black Sabbath. It is one of the most well crafted albums I have heard in years. Great, but not exactly for someone looking for classic jazz. It's very edgy and contemporary. Nevertheless, the mature listener will enjoy this album more with each listen. Stand-out tracks include Ornette Coleman's "Street Woman," Bad Plus originals "Layin a Strip for the Higher Self State Line" and "Neptune (the Planet)" and of course, the amazingly creative arrangement of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man."

"Out there" for the mainstream.......2005-02-18

I don't know, this album keeps coming up over the place with rave reviews. I didn't even have to buy it, because a friend sent me a copy. So people like it, that's fine. It's not a bad album, but it has zero rotation in my playlist because there's so much else out there. The playing seemed a little wooden to me. It's really not all that adventurous, and jazz has been moving in plenty of directions post-bebop if you explore just a little. Try Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls "Breeding Resistance" or Eight Bold Souls "Last Option". Mingus' "Ah Um" is a classic. Those are just a few suggestions. Find what you like. As for this album, I'll probably hand my copy off to someone who isn't a serious jazz fan as an intro (Usually I use Coltrane's "My Favorite Things", which was my intro, or "Take 5" or "Kind of Blue"). For someone who listens to a lot of jazz, you don't need my recommendation anyway, you can listen to the samples or wait for a friend to send you a copy.

GIVE? IT'S NOT THAT GENEROUS!.......2005-01-17

I wanted to like this album, wanted to support the band (again) and stay in its corner, however; it appears the band "gave" their best stuff to their previous effort, "These Are The Vistas" -- and filled "Give" with that album's left-overs. I didn't hear anything new or especially refreshing, nothing really stands out or grabs the ear immediately -- which is not to say that "Give" isn't a solid disc from the trio. It is, I guess, capapble of standing on its own -- but for those fans expecting the group to demonstrate a bit of musical expansion or reveal a bit of evolution, I do believe that they will be disappointed. Yeah, the outsider irreverence is still present -- "Give" will undoubtedly shake -- and possible anger -- the Jazz purists that you know, but once that novelty has worn off, I don't think you'll be left with music that'll stand the test of time and eventually find a place next to the gems and staples of your collection -- the Monks and Brubecks, Ellingtons and Tatums, Coreas and Coltranes, etc, etc.

Average customer rating:

Steadiest original songwriting
"Lost of Love" the WEAKEST track?
A+ for The Bad Plus
Second review
A few words about The Bad Plus

Suspicious Activity?
The Bad Plus
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Give
These Are the Vistas
PROG
Blunt Object Live in Tokyo
The Bad Plus

ASIN: B000CDSS9A
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Tracks:

"Prehensile Dream"
"Anthem For The Earnest"
"Let Our Garden Grow"
"The Empire Strikes Backwards"
"Knows The Difference"
"Lost Of Love"
"Rhinoceros Is My Profession"
"O. G. (Original Gentleman)"
"(Theme from) Chariots Of Fire"
"Forces"

Customer Reviews:

Steadiest original songwriting.......2006-10-08

The Bad Plus cut down the number of their famous covers to one, the ironic and funky "Chariots of Fire." I think their original songwriting is more focused than ever. At the same time, it sounds exactly like The Bad Plus, they're refining their sound on this CD. "Prehensile Dream" is sort of stately, and crescendoes with the crashing dissonance that Ethan Iverson is famous for. "Anthem For The Earnest" is exactly what the title says. Featuring a strong rock beat, you can put this on the soundtrack of a youth soccer game. "Let Our Garden Grow" has a pseudo-classical bent to it, with a very improvisational section in the middle. "The Empire Strikes Backwards" has an off-kilter tempo to it, much like "Big Eater" on "These Are The Vistas". "Know The Difference" is another pseudo-classical one with a chaotic breakdown in the middle. "Lost Love" is a ballad, unfortunately the MOR drumbeat somewhat sabatoges it, it'd be improved with jazzier drums. "Rhinocerous Is My Profession" succesfully mines The Bad Plus Sound. "O.G." struggles to make a point, I feel, but is in the second tier of songs. Finally, "Forces" closes the CD out gently.

"Lost of Love" the WEAKEST track?.......2006-08-14

To all the fools who say the inner tracks are just filler. Don't listen to them. Lost of Love is a beautiful song. If it was a rock band playing the exact same notes you all would praise it but since you bring your pre-conceived notions of what The Bad Plus should sound like you bash it. SO WHAT, it's essentially the same melody played lots of times with alterations made and some very intimate interludes. I've transcribed the melody and chords and it's amazing how complex it is and that it actually sounds wonderful. To the reviewers who say this album misses the mark: open your mind and your ears - there's some awesome music to be heard.

By the way, the Chariots of Fire cover rocks so hard...again, just amazing.

A+ for The Bad Plus.......2006-06-17

Look, I'm no kool kat jiving mama, I'm no Nat Hentoff or whats-his-name cool dude with the earring from Sixty Minutes, I'm just a gal who digs jazz. I like Miles when he runs the VooDoo Down, I like Coltrane when his Love is Supreme, and I particularly dig Pharaoh Sanders whose Creator has a Master Plan. The Bad Plus must be in the master's plan b/c I own every one of their CDs and think the band keeps getting badder and badder, in other words, like true artists, they're constantly evolving, reinventing both themselves and other rock & jazz tunes. What more could a jazzlover want? More... more... more...

Second review.......2006-04-19

I reviewed this before, but they took the copy protection off the CD and re-released it. Here was my previous review:

--
I was so bummed to see this band in the list of Sony's virus-infected CD's. The Bad Plus is just an incredible, incredible band. Go to their shows. Buy their T-shirts. For this band to get scuffed by evil corporate BS from Sony is just shameful.

Suspicious Activity is my favorite Bad Plus record so far. The chaos is a little more focused and the rock element is very strong. It's good to see them getting away from the novelty covers, which are fun at first but lack the depth of their original tracks. This CD is so freaking excellent. I hope people will give it a chance and support these hardworking musicians, despite the fact that their record company sucks.

If you can't bring yourself to buy the CD, go see a show. If I'm not mistaken, the bands make a much larger share of the profits from their shows than they do their CD's anyway. Usually Bad Plus shows aren't even that expensive, and they're AMAZING live. Buy a T-shirt. Download the mp3's and hand them 20 bucks after the show.

Don't be chased off from this band by corporate morons at Sony!!! This is their best CD yet.
--

Well, they removed the copy protection, so the disc works properly now.

I'm surprised people aren't praising the CD more, I truly love it. Is it more mainstream? Maybe, more riffy, more of a rock element. If you're a jazz snob I suppose you could turn your nose up at that, but hey, it sounds great. There are so many spots between jazz and rock that are unexplored, I don't see why it's bad that they are testing the waters. These guys are such great musicians that I honestly feel they could go in any direction and it would still be interesting to listen to. This is still my favorite Bad Plus CD and the one I always seem to choose over the others.

And again, fewer novelty covers really helps the effort.

I can't wait to hear the next Bad Plus CD, whatever direction it goes towards. These guys are truly great.

A few words about The Bad Plus.......2006-04-11

I read some of the reviews before I bought this album and was prepared for something not really as good, but as a completist and huge fan, I decided that I had to have it. I was actually delighted to find something not only much better than what I expected, but just shy of on par with the other two albums in The Bad Plus discography.

I know many people have their reservations about these guys. Many write them off simply because "it's not jazz." I can say that I agree with them: The Bad Plus, and this album in particular is not really jazz. What I don't agree with is when people give the album a bad review because it's not jazz. I, for one, like a lot of music that isn't jazz and happen to know a large assortment of other jazz fans that have appreciation for music that isn't jazz. What I have to say about The Bad Plus is that they are what they are: interesting and quite good music. I believe it was Duke Ellington that said "There are two types of music in this world, good music and bad music. I like the good music." Whether that be jazz, classical, rock, bluegrass or Norwegian death metal I'll listen to it as long as it is good. God forbid musicians to try to do something unique and different.

Now, a little more about the album. I can first go about praising Iverson, Anderson and King for their amazing musicianship. David King's drumming is energetic, creative, complimentary and never distracting. He provides a firm groove and all kinds of color on the album. King also writes what I believe to be the group's best tunes. Reid Anderson's bass playing is also quite stellar. He is constantly interacting with the other two musicians, stirring creativity and adding creative interjections when appropriate to add to the musical palate. The stand out musician in this trio however is of course, pianist Ethan Iverson. He has excellent improvisational ability, stunning right hand/left hand independence, technical ability beyond belief and is bursting at the seams with creativity. The group works as a unit and are constantly in conversation with each other whether they are improvising as a soloist or collectively. The jazz cat with attitude persona is worn well by them all and they make some really exciting music.

Suspicious Activity? is loaded with lots of good material. The album is beautifully bookended with two great ballads ("Prehensile Dream" and "Forces" both by Anderson). David King's composistions like I said stand out above the others. Both "Anthem for the Earnest" and "The Empire Strikes Backwards" are full of energy and quite catchy. Ethan Iverson's two composistions, "Let Our Garden Grow" and "O.G. (Original Gentelman)" are far out in terms of traditional melody and harmony are concerned, but still make sense to the listener. "O.G. (Original Gentelman)" even swings a bit, which is rare for The Bad Plus. The album loses a little bit of momentum in the middle with "Knows the Difference", "Lost of Love" and "Rhinoceros is My Profession" which merely don't stand out as opposed to being wasted CD space. The disc billows at a massive climax on the cover of Chariots of Fire which just steals the show. In fact, this album really could have used more brilliant covers in the Bad Plus tradition and a little less original material.

The other thing that makes this album dwindle a little is the production. One of the most amazing things about The Bad Plus's previous two albums is the absence of no editing or splicing or overdubbing (with the exception of two cuts off of "Give", 1 instance of splicing and 1 wrong note fix). In fact, less than half of the tracks on "Suspicious Activity?" are edit free. The trio used a lot more overdubbing which sort of destroys the acoustic jazz trio persona. Iverson gets his fingers working on harmoniums and celestes even, which are albeit cool sounds but don't really work for their setup.

I regard "Suspicious Activity?" to be not suberb like the groups other two studio releases, but is quite strong. I would certainly not call it their best, but I see it as legitimate, interesting and well done. The minor details I mentioned above are small flaws which are part of a really well done release from the midwestern trio.

Average customer rating:

A Mixed Bad
Simply the best

Blunt Object Live in Tokyo

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

PROG
Suspicious Activity?
The Bad Plus
Give
The Minor Passions

ASIN: B000ELL1LC
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Customer Reviews:

A Mixed Bad.......2007-04-07

Blunt Object captures The Bad Plus in all their glory and disgrace. There are funny and strange versions of Blondie's Heart of Glass and Queen's We Are The Champions but nothing invites the listener into the private joke.

This is the absolute worst version of My Funny Valentine I've ever heard.

[DW]

Simply the best.......2006-12-13

This is my favorite of all The Bad Plus albums. Simply a must have for any fan.

Average customer rating:

The Bad Plus
The Bad Plus
Manufacturer: Fs New Talent
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Give
Suspicious Activity?
PROG
These Are the Vistas
The Minor Passions

ASIN: B00005QDZL
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Tracks:

Knowing Me Knowing You
Blue Moon
1972 Bronze Medalist
Breakout
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Labyrinth
Scurry
Love Is the Answer

Average customer rating:

These are the Vistas-The bad plus

These Are the Vistas
The Bad Plus
Manufacturer: Sony/Epic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Give
The Bad Plus
PROG
Blunt Object Live in Tokyo
Suspicious Activity?

ASIN: B00008G9JF
Release Date: 2003-06-23

Tracks:

Big Eater
Keep the Bugs Off Your Glass and the Bears Off Your Ass
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Everywhere You Turn
1972 Bronze Medalist
Guilty
Boo-Wah
Flim
Heart of Glass
Silence Is the Question

Customer Reviews:

These are the Vistas-The bad plus.......2005-12-04

My friend lent me this cd because he said, "these are the people that will save jazz." I'm not sure if jazz necessarily needs to be saved, but the fact that he said it made me curious. So, I popped in the cd, listened once and liked it. Then I listened to it again, and I loved it. Now, I consider it to be my most favorite album. It grew and me and my love for it has not waned.
I was so impressed by the lasting effects of the music; there's so much emotion in it. For example, when I listen to "Silence is the question," I cannot do anything else, I stop whatever i'm doing. It's eight gold minutes long. Every so often I play it right before I go to sleep. The music is so vivid. Listening to it provokes so many images and emotions in me that I can only listen to it alone.
This is not your cocktail party jazz! It's clever art. The jazz rendition of "smells like teen spirit" clearly illuminates their wit and talent. I recommend this cd to those who like sophistication in their music, but also like a sort of spirited, youthful air mixed in too.

R.A.B. vol. 2 [CD & DVD] 28 Tracks Plus 6 Short political short films that you just have to see...

Average customer rating:

R.A.B. vol. 2 [CD & DVD] 28 Tracks Plus 6 Short political short films that you just have to see...
Favorite Son - Green Day (unreleased) / Let Them Eat War - Bad Religion / Unity - Operation Ivy / Necrotism: Decanting the Insalubrious (Cyborg Midnight) Part 7 - The Lawrence Arms (unreleased) , We Got the Power - Dropkick Murphys (rare) / Drunken Lullabies - Flogging Molly / Doomsday Breach - Only Crime / Gas Chamber - Foo Fighters (rare) , Status Pools - Lagwagon (unreleased) / What You Say - Sugarcult / 7 Years Down - Rancid / Off With Your Head - Sleater-Kinney (rare) , Scream Out - The Unseen (unreleased) / Violins - Yellowcard (unreleased) / Like Sprewells on a Wheelchair - Dillinger Four (unreleased) / Chesterfield King live - Jawbreaker (unreleased) , Born Free live - Bouncing Souls (unreleased) / No Hope live - Mad Caddies (unreleased) / Kids Today - The Dwarves (unreleased) / Can't Wait to Quit - Sick of It All (rare) , Comforting Lie - No Doubt / State of Fear - Useless ID (unreleased) / I'm Thinking - Autopilot Off (unreleased) / My Star - The International Noise Conspiracy (unreleased) , and Time's Up - Donots (unreleased) / Kill the Night - Hot Water Music (unreleased) / You're Gonna Die - Thought Riot / Fields of Agony acoustic - No Use For a Name (unreleased)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000QXKUWE

Average customer rating:

Damn... these guys jam!
Can you dig it?

Kinetic Transfer
Infradig
Manufacturer: Harmonized
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0002ZYE9Q
Release Date: 2004-07-21

Tracks:

Maroon Mood
Asymotic
The Dare
Add Mass
Groove Vs. The Ill
Warmilksawzer
Benediction

Customer Reviews:

Damn... these guys jam!.......2005-05-24

I can by no means compete with the verbal eloquence of the previous reviewer... but truly... if you appreciate good music at all, you will love this CD. I recommend at any price.

Can you dig it?.......2005-02-09

Originally Infradig Ensemble, this group dropped the trumpets and "ensemble" but kept the same intoxicating blend of jam, jazz, electronica and funk. In case you're dried out on mainstream jam bands or want something new, refreshing and unique, look no further. But Infradig goes above and beyond the competition. Never before have so many styles been seamlessly integrated to form such a musical masterpiece. They don't just jam, they shake the foundation of musical normalcy with a highly experimental style.....that works.

I don't want to undercut this band with comparisons, but throw Parliament, Billy Preston, Pablo Picasso, Les McCann, Hunter S. Thompson, George Clinton and some hallucinogens in a mixing pot and you get a good idea of what to expect. It's carefully orchestrated madness. It's (for lack of a better word) a brilliant display of musicianship. You'll end up with whiplash from severe head bobbing and sprained ankles from bouncing up and down while wearing Chacos. Synth and organs abound. You won't find any vocals.....the music speaks for itself. "Dare" and "Groove vs Ill" are insanely great. But while this CD is incredible, it pales in comparison to their live performance. Come see these guys represent the lush musical underground of Chattanooga, Tennessee to the fullest...

Average customer rating:

PROG
The Bad Plus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000PC1NVI
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Physical Cities
Life on Mars
Mint
Giant
Thriftstore Jewelry
Tom Sawyer
This Guy's in Love with You
World Is the Same
1980 World Champion

Album Description

2007 album from the Jazz/Pop trio, three Jazz musicians who play gorgeously reinterpreted cover versions ('Everybody Wants To Rule The World', 'Tom Sawyer') plus nifty originals! as well. 10 tracks. Universal.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music