Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Necks: Body
The Necks: Body
ByThe performance begins with Chris Abrahams' ruminative piano, playing a series of slow tremolando figures. Drummer/percussionist Tony Buck plays a regular rhythm on triangle, along with shifting snare drum accents, while double bassist Lloyd Swanton contributes a heartbeat rhythm. So the rhythmic feel is simultaneously regular and rubato, a trademark effect for the band. It's a hypnotic minimalist groove, but it begins to calm down when Abrahams introduces sustained organ chords. At first the drums and bass maintain the rhythm, but thin out the texture.
Finally, it comes down to a regular piano chord and a recurring two-note bass lick. Buck brings in a strummed guitar part, then a ride cymbal...and a rock rhythm erupts, with Buck leading the way on drums and guitarterrific contrast, which continues for far longer than most rock groups would take it, but just long enough. The rhythm stopsexcept for faint bellsand the final segment is atmospheric, with Swanton playing arco bass at the very end.
It is a varied performance, with much greater contrast and generally more energetic music than their previous release Vertigo (Northern Spy Records, 2015). Not that there is no atmospheric soundscaping here, just that it takes place on a broader canvas. All of The Necks music is surprising and wonderfulthis album even more than usual.
Track Listing
Body.
Personnel
The Necks
band / ensemble / orchestraChris Abrahams: piano, keyboards; Tony Buck: drums, percussion, guitar; Lloyd Swanton: acoustic bass.
Album information
Title: Body | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Northern Spy Records
< Previous
Hawthorne
Next >
Running The Bas(s)es
Comments
About The Necks
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar To