The Sad Machinery of Spring

by

Tin Hat

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. . . as always.

And this genre-bending band, perhaps more than any other, has those details absolutely nailed.

It was a brilliant move expanding this minimalist group from a trio to a quintet, adding, it must be said, such monster Downtown players as Zeena Parkins (harp) and Ben Goldberg (various clarinets). For me, this move morphs the band from a quirky, generally interesting although somewhat static outfit, into a killer ensemble of absolute spot-on chamber-jazzish players. Still anchored by the heartbreakingly beautiful violin and various exotic string instruments of the inimitable Carla Kihlstedt and the Kevin Breit/Ry Cooderish guitar of Mark Orton, the band has brilliantly expanded its musical palette to include a greater diversity of sounds and moods than ever before, without compromising--indeed, almost magically augmenting--its signature aesthetic.

Throughout the disc emerge spellbinding moments of musical magic: the deft interplay of trumpet, clarinet, guitar, and violin on "Blind Paper Dragon"; the chthonic mysteries of "Dionysus," mesmerically conveyed through the violin/guitar/piano magic of Kihlstedt/Orton/Anderson; the adroit instrumental interweavings of "Drawing Lessons"--almost every tune has its special pleasures. What seems to have been not entirely lacking but insufficiently on display on previous discs--but here in spades--is a kind of rigor and spine that lifts the proceedings from mere prettiness into realms of sheer gloriousness.

This is a band that has grown into one of the most important instrumental ensembles currently on the jazz/New Music scene. Highest recommendation.

In comparison to the other four Tin Hat Trio albums, I feel this one is by far the least inventive. Yes the music is very beautiful, and more fully orchestrated than their other albums (because of the added musicians in the group), however Tin Hat Trio's best musical attributes-- including the use of mixed meter and non-traditional instruments and sounds-- are almost non-existent in this album. I've listened to this album at least a half dozen times, so I've given it a fair chance. It just doesn't grab me with its originality and quirkyness like the rest of Tin Hat Trio's repertoire.

If you, like me, are interested in the quirky and unique, I would instead of Sad Machinery recommend Carla Kihlstedt's (Tin Hat's violinist and vocalist) solo album, Two Foot Yard.