about contact
Muscle Memory/Holy Goodnight by The VibrationEP1 (untitled) by JavelinMother by Susumu YokotaMother by Susumu YokotaTerminal 3 / 2 Da Floor by RuskoI Can't Give You Up by Smoove & TurrellI Can't Give You Up by Smoove & TurrellRed Velvet by Red VelvetRed Velvet by Red VelvetLunglight by The Shaky HandsOne Night In New York City by Various ArtistsBaby Show Vol.1  by Fabor E Le Sue TastiereBaby Show Vol.2 by The SwingersHumour Per Grandi E Piccini by FabourLibrary / Call the Incredible by SeelandLittle BIG Music: Musical Oddities From And Inspired By Little Big Planet by The Daniel Pemberton TV OrchestraChristmas TV by Slow ClubDiamonds, Furcoats, Champagne by Primal Scream, Suicide and Conrad StandishFrankie Teardrop by Lydia Lunch and SuicideIf Ya Can't Beat Em by ResoIf Ya Can't Beat Em by ResoDust Till Dawn: 10 Years of Drop Music by Various ArtistsOne Night In San Francisco by Various ArtistsBe Arisionable Vol.2 by Various ArtistsThe Versailles Sessions by MurcofThe Versailles Sessions by MurcofSing What You Want by KotchyLive at Klub 007 by Gallon DrunkSweet Disease by SamsaSing What You Want by Kotchy
Queen of All Ears

Queen of All Ears

a review by dan hill of
release format Queen of All Ears by The Lounge Lizards (CD Album)

text

A welcome return from the Lounge Lizards - yet another aspect of the fervently creative New York scene which is responsible for so many good things in this world. The city's continual reinvention seems to inspire its musicians to keep rubbing up against JAZZ and splintering off entirely new musics. Of course, motion's a big fan of the Lizards and Lizard alumni and associates (see our Arto Lindsay profile fr'instance) and it's great to hear an album of such verve and vibrancy emerge yet again. In fact, it's difficult to fault such vigorous joyous playing within John Lurie's sharp composition; such an intelligent openmindedness which seemingly takes in minimalism, jazz, avant-garde composition, microtonal klezmer-style playing, film scores, improv, even getting fonky (again this diversity perhaps drawn from New York's sense of quotidian chaos and flux). The players are, of course, a fantastic mix of virtuosity and warmth, locking a 9-piece sound together beautifully. In particular, Evan Lurie shines on "The Birds Near Her House", producing bubbling piano improvisations a la Keith Jarrett or early (good) Chick Corea. Perhaps the crowning glory is "Monsters Over Bangkok", featuring Steven Bernstein on trumpet and Jane Scarpantoni on cello, over a varied backing veering between the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Bernard Herrmann, Gil Evans, and, well, the sound of monsters over Bangkok. Other players (all should take a bow) include Lurie (alto & sop sax) Michael Blake (tsax, bs cl), David Tronzo (slide gtr), Erik Sanko (bs), Ben Perowsky (perc) and Calvin Weston (ds). Strange and beautiful music indeed, and one of the albums of the year.

Posted by dan hill at 00:00, 03 Dec 1998