Thumbscrew: Thumbscrew

Thumbscrew are Michael Formanek (double bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums) and Mary Halvorson (guitar). This is kind of like a kinder, gentler Eugene Chadbourne. Mary Halvorson plays completely without ornamentation, using little if any pedals or effects, keeping a clean and concise line about her playing, and deeply empathizing with her erstwhile bandmates and improvisers. This is music of a high order, whose repeated listening rewards you. Now, though I said the band is made of improvisers, this is composed music, created to be "Thumbscrew" music. Using minimal instrumentation, just bass, drums and guitar, the bandmates move all over the stylistic world. Most pieces lope along, work in what seems minor key and off-tempo and odd time signatures. Halvorson's guitar skitters along, moving with impeccable logic. Each band member contributed 3 songs to the disc, and nearly all the songs are moody in nature. What I find the most intriguing is simply the interplay among the master musicians here.

Cuneiform has been releasing high-quality music for some time, and this is another great one from them. It is abstract, cerebral and moving.

Track Listing

1. Cheap Knock Off
2. Thumbscrew
3. Fluid Hills in Pink
4. Nothing Doing
5. Goddess Sparkle
6. Buzzard's Breath
7. Still… Doesn't Swing
8. Falling Too Fra
9. Line to Create Madness

Added: February 11th 2014
Reviewer: Dana Lawrence
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 1942
Language: english

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