I can't digest the new album

FuSoYa said:
I don't know, maybe you find it boring because you're approaching the music believing that it's "meandering" when actually it's very much the opposite. Perhaps you could try paying attention to what's actually going on in the song and figuring out how those things relate to everything else in the song?

I will give it a try. I think my mistake is that I've listened to the album, while sitting at the computer, and perhaps not giving it enough concerntration. That's why I need to get it in my car, and go for a long drive. I haven't given up yet! =P
 
I got into the album immediately and have enjoyed it like hell since. However, if I had to criticize it, I'd say it's unbalanced. The first two tracks are stellar. The middle track is little more than an ordinary jam session with usual aesthetics. The last two are good but its transitions don't make as much sense, especially for track 4. I like track 5 a lot. The music's evolved a hell of a lot through the years.

Toby's solo album is excellent. Fave track is Brown Light Upon Us. I like it more than the KD album.
 
i find it really, really baffling anytime anyone refers to any of our songs as a "jam sessiony" or "free jazz"! it's like the *complete* opposite - all the instruments have distinct parts and they're played that way every single time, a.k.a., they're inarguably composed and definitely not improvised. i don't understand how anyone could think otherwise? *confused* :-\
 
i think the "jam session" vibe people are referring to on that song is probably based on forbes's trumpet solo which was improvised in the studio and gives it that "jammy" feel.

but other than the solo the rest of that song is totally composed as mia said.
 
Greg, I think that the jam/improv label has come up on Choir as well and it didn't make sense then, and most certainly doesn't make sense now (I am speculating as I only bought the album today and should be coming in the mail in the near future.)

It might have a lot to do with Tzadik, with Choir, which people think is all improv music, which is bullshit.
 
I wasn't trying to be literal, but "jam session" is kind of what came to mind; it feels like one relative to the first two tracks. My impression is that it's more straightfoward in terms of its tempos, meters, and the way it progresses, etc..

But don't get me wrong. I love the album. :cool:
 
i'd think both extremes of 1) making music that is extremely orchestrated sound like it's improvised (free flowing and capricious) and 2) making improv music that sounds orchestrated (in that it holds melody or presence) are difficult to realize, and i'd take it as a compliment.
 
sometimes you cant tell by listening to something how it was composed or not composed. like i forget who it was, somebody nerdy, mighta even been greg, i was talking to after seeing orthrelm, and he was saying how its amazing he plays his set spot-on the same way every time and hes got it all written out or something... but it would also be believable, if you only saw them once, that there were certain things that were planned, and others that were subject to variation within that structure and that it was jammy, and you wouldnt know whether or not that was the case. and sometimes ive seen people who are definitely jamming, because they werent really a band and they had some guests step up with them who never all play together, play a jam that went somewhere amazing, and you would have sworn theyd have to plan it for it to end up where it did, but hey, they didnt. so when a lot of people who arent performers discuss music, they might call something jammy to describe a certain mood or sound and everyone knows what theyre talking about, even if the musicians were in fact jamming or not.
 
Well.. Finally, i took the album into the car and went for a long drive. And finally the album clicked with me. It was like a punch in the face going "Oh my god, this is awesome." Something about the textural feel of the album as a whole.. or.. I don't know. Can't explain it. Butnow i finally enjoy this album in my own personal way.. yay!

*hugz everyone, except for BFS, cos she smells like bananas*