T.R.A.M: Lingua Franca

Take some of the gifted members from The Mars Volta (Adrian Terrazas), Animals As Leaders, (Javier Reyes and Tosin Abasi) and Suicidal Tendencies (Eric Moore) and create a supergroup. Take the first letter from their surnames and voilà you have to the bands name T.R.A.M..

You just know that when you include these artists as a creative force you are going to get something rather unique, musicians that aren't going to conform to anyone's rule book and in fact that is exactly what has happened here.

Although the album itself is only very short, just less than thirty minutes, a smart move if I may say so, being a perfect allocation of musical dalliance that just compliments its approach without it becoming over facing or outstaying its welcome.

The percussive opening of Seven Ways Till Sunday hits the mark seeing Reyes and Abasi adding their dexterous and convoluted guitar passages, as Terrazas' blends his magical wind instrumentation that really provides the jazz inflected backbone, a theme that continues throughout the whole album, offering convoluted and technical wizardry of the highest order. Endeavor and HAAS Kicker take a more sedate approach, but it isn't to long before they moves back in the fold aligning themselves with the other instrumentals presented. This really is adept craftsmanship of the highest order.

Initially on the ear the music created sounds discordant and cacophonous, a bold statement I know, but true as this is not an easy listen by any stretch of the imagination.

So all in all what we been given here is a very proficient and resplendent progressive, experimental, jazz inflected album that is peaceful and beautiful offering respite one minute then full of furious tempos and stunning time changes the next that will entertain some and confuse others. Tread carefully. You have been warned.

Track List:
1. Seven Ways Till Sunday
2. Consider Yourself Judged
3. Endeavor
4. HAAS Kicker
5. Hollywood Swinging
6. Inverted Ballad

Added: March 7th 2012
Reviewer: John OBoyle
Score:
Related Link: www.facebook.com/TRAMband
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Language: english

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