Adrian Coen

Forever Sharp & Vivid

Forever Sharp & Vivid is a real gem. Beautifully recorded and mixed. Relentlessly evocative with a distinctive stylistic feel throughout. David Torn's guitar, as ever, creates some astounding textures. David casTiglione's blowing forever hovers between the fruity and the mournful. Chris Massey's drumming is superb - mentioning him in the same breath as Jon Christensen is not hyperbole - it's a worthy and accurate indication of the noise Mr Massey makes on his drum kit! Together they conjure up a landscape for the ears which is frequently ominous and always compelling. Added to this is the interesting degree of understatement throughout and yet an amazing level of detail too. It's really quite mesmerising. There are plenty of highlights: "Gore" has an inescapable air of foreboding about it. "Fertile Crescent" - I just love the sound of the drums - and the drumming is really quite exquisite too. The brilliant texture on "A Short Visit" (Mr Torn had me thinking of Mr Rypdal on this one for some reason!). A muscular rendition of Paul Motian's "The Hoax". Then there's "Nothing Ever Was, Anyway": undoubtedly an excellent choice of tune to cover. Inspired, in fact. A superb atmosphere is created (once again) and there's that organic-FS&V link between this and "Fertile Crescent" and "A Short Visit". "Ascension" induces a certain amount of anxiety - clearly its intention! "Fudomaio" - a beautiful tune to bring the whole feast to an end, with - once again - really great persuasion/drumming, grooving intricately - and a subtle, ever so slightly sweet melody that persists even after the hi-fi is switched off! The aftertaste of this album is like having just watched a brilliant, provocative, albeit rather disturbing, film - something urban and Kafkaesque, with an undercurrent of optimism sending the sum-total-mood soaring above the claustrophobia - beautifully filmed, well acted, rapturously received - but almost certainly not shown in any cinemas owned by Warners.