Album review overview: Motörhead, Marco Benevento and more
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.
Alejandro Aranda – Baroque
American sensation Alejandro Aranda drops a fantastic listening experience for the masses with his new release “Baroque”. The likeable singer who once caused a sensation on television shows that he can still display enormous musical muscle. On this new EP he effortlessly combines his fast guitar playing with modern beats and clever pop melodies. The track “Heartbeats” immediately pulls you into a rollercoaster of emotions and shows how skilfully he manages to combine virtuoso string work with catchy choruses. In the track “Queen” too, Aranda scores highly by clashing classical arrangements with fresh urban influences. The song “Glowing” gives the listener goosebumps thanks to the vulnerable lyrics and a wonderfully groovy rhythm. What makes this record so strong is that it never becomes boring and that every song has its own identity. The closing track “Bad” bursts in with a surprising twist that you don’t see coming. Aranda proves once again that he is an enormously engaging artist of the moment for young and old. This release truly offers everything a modern pop record needs. (Daniel Harris) (8/10) (Hollywood Records)
Bajune Tobeta – Anechoic
Japanese composer Bajune Tobeta presents with the EP “Anechoic” an intriguing sound experiment that balances between silence and minimal ambient. The source of inspiration for this work is the dead room, an acoustic space that absorbs all sound reflections. In collaboration with Austrian electronic musician Christian Fennesz, Tobeta wrote the central composition “After the Silence”. This piece forms a tribute to their shared musical mentor Ryuichi Sakamoto. Tobeta combines acoustic piano sounds and strings with subtle electronic distortions that wash over one another. The build-up of the album proceeds extremely controlled, whereby the space between the notes gains as much meaning as the sounding tones themselves. The production excels in clarity and dynamic range, allowing delicate percussion elements to come into their own in detail. With this work Tobeta explores how listeners can find peace and contemplation in a world full of continuous noise. The result is an intellectually challenging yet at the same time soothing listening experience that seeks the boundaries of contemporary classical music. The listener is invited to enter a fascinating sound world full of subtle nuances. (William Brown) (8/10) (Croix Healing)
Møster! – Bolts
The music of Norway’s Møster!, named after driving force and saxophonist Kjetil Møster, is best described as psychedelic rock with jazz influences. Although the term and qualification ‘noise’ will cover it for many, certainly after listening to the opener “Desert Ride”. An intense piece that degenerates into an almost impenetrable mass of sound, in which Møster himself tries to make his saxophone rise above this cacophony. The ‘noise’ is produced by guitarist Hans Magnus Ryan (Motorpsycho), bassist Nikolai Hængsle and drummer Kenneth Kapstad. The album was recorded virtually live at Duper Studio in Bergen, and you can hear that in every minute. Intense, incidentally, is something other than chaotic, because there is indeed structure in the pieces. In fact, the underlying themes are often simple and precisely because of that offer room for complex improvisations that consist of multiple layers. The recurring motifs serve as an excellent basis for explosive solos. Especially in “Small Bubbles of Light” and “Not a Signal but a Door” this recipe works very well. Jazz and (psychedelic) prog blend seamlessly into one another here. This album, however, demands a lot from the listener: they will really have to make an effort to fathom this music; it requires ‘physical exertion’, according to the band itself. Work jazz, then. (Jeroen Mulder) (7/10) (Action Jazz)
Marco Benevento – Glera
Keyboard virtuoso Marco Benevento presents on his recent creation “Glera” a refined fusion of soulful jazz, psychedelia and rhythmic funk. Released via the renowned label Big Crown Records, this record marks a stylish evolution in the oeuvre of the American pianist. The album opens with the single “Houdini”, in which tight percussion and vintage organ motifs merge harmoniously into a captivating whole. Benevento demonstrates here his talent for making complex melodic structures accessible without losing artistic depth. The composition “Glera” exudes a festive and sparkling atmosphere, characterised by playful synths and a compelling bassline. Musical craftsmanship and improvisational ability go hand in hand on this work, with every instrumentalist given the room to shine within the tight arrangements. The production retains a warm and analogue tonal colour that enriches the listening experience. With this album, Benevento delivers a balanced and mature work that will charm both lovers of classic instrumental jazz and listeners of contemporary groove music. It is a valuable addition to contemporary instrumental music culture. (Elodie Renard) (8/10) (Big Crown Records)
Motörhead – Kiss Of Death (20th Anniversary Edition)
Record label BMG is releasing an anniversary edition on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the album “Kiss Of Death”, which is more than worth the purchase. This is mainly due to the second CD you get with it, containing a complete live recording of the performance the band gave in 2007 at the Lowlands Festival in Biddinghuizen. Furthermore, the first CD, on which the album itself is found, with in fact better sound quality, also contains extra bonus tracks including a cover of Metallica’s “Whiplash”. The liner note explanations written by Dave Ling also contribute to the remembrance of Lemmy and the recently deceased guitarist Phil Campbell. Guest musicians are C.C. Deville of Poison, who plays lead guitar on “God Was Never On Your Side”, Mike Inez of Alice In Chains, who plays bass on “Under The Gun”, and Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society and Ozzy Osbourne), who plays lead guitar on “Terminal Show”. (Ad Keepers) (8/10) (BMG)
