Album Review

It’s a little shocking when one of your favorite bands makes a sudden change in their sound. Sometimes it’s a radical stylistic development, like the way Radiohead shifted with 1997’s OK Computer. Other times it’s the addition of new instrumentation, a la Tom Waits in the early ‘80s with Swordfishtrombones. And then there are the changes that really warrant a band changing its name, like when the progressive jazz trio The Bad Plus added a vocalist to their beloved instrumental sound.

This month, the group released For All I Care, featuring vocals by Minnesota indie rocker Wendy Lewis. As is usually the case, The Bad Plus run through a series of pop hits reinterpreted by their rhythmic, free-jazz style, including Nirvana’s “Lithium,” Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” and the Bee Gees’ “How Deep is Your Love.” Normally, their deconstructive techniques expand on the originals and challenge listeners to hear new things about popular radio standards. Just listen to their version of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” from 2007’s Prog or Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” from 2003’s These Are the Vistas. But it’s a wonder how much the addition of vocals can derail the anarchic explorations of a group of masterful musicians.

Listen to “Comfortably Numb”
Listen to “Heart of Glass”
Listen to “Tom Sawyer”

Imagine Coltrane with vocals. Ornette Coleman. Tortoise. The Ventures. Mogwai. Don Caballero. There’s a reason why no one discusses Dick Dale’s vocal-led songs. And whole regions of prog, electronic, jazz, and indie rock require instrumental groups to really investigate all the possibilities of new music.

The album isn’t bad. Like Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach’s 1998 collaboration, Painted From Memory, it is an exploration of the sort that feels vaguely Muzak while still showing enough prowess and creativity to keep your ears awake. Wendy Lewis’ vocals are by and large wonderful, especially on the group’s cover of Yes’ “Long Distance Runaround” and The Flaming Lips’ “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate.” But generally, the effect of adding a singer is to put the group in the background. They play a more controlled, less exploratory role on the album, and that makes the pop songs themselves stand out as the subject. In other words, it turns into a cover album, the type of thing you listen to, somewhat humorously, with friends at a party — kind of on par with that singer who makes lounge versions of alternative rock songs. Gone are the astounding, disjointed exercises into the furthest reaches of a pop song’s potential. Instead, we get a rather talented singer with a tight jazz combo backing her up.

Listen to “Long Distance Runaround”
Listen to “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate”

That said, Wendy Lewis’ backing band is very solid, and I can’t help but feel that if the album were released under a name other than The Bad Plus, it wouldn’t disappoint. Only the Pink Floyd and Bee Gees covers delve into the bland recycling of a bar band. The group owns the other songs covered here, even Nirvana’s “Lithium,” a song that most would assume on sight to be a rote rendition of a now-legendary grunge band. The four re-workings of pieces by the composers Ligeti, Babbit, and Stravinsky are impressive enough to warrant a listen by any Bad Plus fan. Heart’s “Barracuda” gets a nod here, and while the jury’s still out on why this song has had such a long shelf life, it does seem like a timely homage to the Alaskan governor who holds a special place in our hearts.

Listen to “Lithium”
Listen to “Barracuda”

My hope is that For All I Care will net The Bad Plus some new fans, which will quickly jump to their previous albums (especially These Are the Vistas and Give) and on to Medeski, Martin & Wood, Masada, and John Zorn.

No Comments »