- Audio CD (8 Mar 2004)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Sony Music
- ASIN: B0001JZGSQ
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 119,524 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. 1979 Semi-Finalist |
| 2. Cheney Piñata |
| 3. Street Woman |
| 4. And Here We Test Our Powers Of Observation |
| 5. Frog And Toad |
| 6. Velouria |
| 7. Layin' A Strip For The Higher-Self State Line |
| 8. Do Your Sums-Die Like A Dog-Play For Home |
| 9. Dirty Blonde |
| 10. Neptune (The Planet) |
| 11. Iron Man |
| 12. Knowing Me, Knowing You (Bonus Track) |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Recorded in England after a stretch of continuous touring, Give is a more-than-worthy successor to 2003's These Are the Vistas, the major-label debut that launched the Bad Plus as a significant musical force. The Midwestern piano trio doesn't just link the worlds of abstract jazz and big-beat rock--instead, they smash them together, fusing bombast and subtlety with wit and art in consistently surprising ways. It's most apparent in the covers. The Pixies' "Velouria" develops a heady layer of Spanish impressionism, while Ornette Coleman's "Street Woman", showcasing Reid Anderson's propulsive bass, is much closer to jazz expectations--the early Paul Bley trio, say, if jazz expectations get that high. Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" becomes a manifesto, pianist Ethan Iverson combining the elementary theme with an anarchic, trip-hammer right hand straight from the playground of free jazz. The originals cover even more ground--from the colliding ironies of Iverson's "Cheney Piñata" to the sweetness of drummer David King's "Frog and Toad". Produced, like the last CD, by Tchad Blake, Give demonstrates just how effectively pop production values and jazz spontaneity can interact. King's drumming alone is a sonic and creative highlight throughout. Along with a new aesthetic, the Bad Plus has already begun to define a new audience, and this CD should both delight and enlarge it. --Stuart Broomer, Amazon.com
Review
They play Ornette Coleman and Black Sabbath. They put a big fat snare drum in the middle of your skull. They are the Bad Plus and they show that piano trios are alive, well and kicking out the jams.
They come from Wisconsin and Minnesota. This is their second album but the first I've heard. It's great. And what hits you immediately is those drums. David King is a player of raw power and real inventiveness and he is captured in all his glory by Tchad Blake's superb production. Their version of Sabbaff's "Iron Man" (played on two pianos simultaneously!) is great fun and gives King ample room to show off. One minute he's thrashing away like John Bonham, the next he's scrabbling round his kit free form style like Coltrane's drummer Rashied Ali.
Anyone who has the confidence to tackle an Ornette Coleman tune gets my respect. Their take on "Street Woman" is alarming, and alarmingly good. But it's the groups own material which provides the real meat. All three members write, and write well.
Bassist Reid Anderson's "And Here We Test Our Powers Of Observation" is outstanding, lyrical, driving and up-tempo, powered along by King's propulsive inventiveness. King's own "1979 Semi Finalist" is a jazz stroll retooled for the 21st Century. Pianist Ethan Iverson's Thelonious Monk style solo on this track is one of the albums great moments.They can do subtle too, on "Frog And Toad" or "Dirty Blonde" or the jolly country hoedown of "Laying A Strip For The Higher Self State Line".
The Bad Plus play jazz with the oomph of a rock band. But don't panic: this is not some horrible fusion thing. It's more like jazz on steroids. Like EST, they seem completely contemporary in their influences and unafraid of modern technology. But where EST are cool, restrained and definitely Scandinavian, the Bad Plus offer something more red blooded, humorous, and all-American: highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. --Nick Reynolds
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Bad Plus's Sony debut, "These Are the Vistas," twisted the rules of jazz even further by adding a few rock touches and performing admirable covers of Nirvana, Blondie and Apex Twin. It's a hard formula to improve on, and they don't exactly do that on their solid followup "Give." Here, the trio of Reid Anderson (bass), Ethan Iverson (piano), and David King (drums) remains quite faithful to the formula that made their predecessor a success. We have the laid-back feel of "1979 Semi-Finalist," a touch of Latin flavor on "Cheney Pinata," and the elegant "And Here We Test Our Powers of Observation." They're slices of delectable jazz that pay respect to their elders (Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck) while remaining modern and fresh. But the track that made me stop everything is their creative rendition of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man," which is nearly worth the price of this whole CD. They do a cover that's faithful to the mood of the original while injecting their own flavor, and it's sure to please jazz lovers and Sabbath fans alike. This CD also has an enhanced portion that will take you to their website, where you can read updates, download stuff, and watch live performances (best viewed with a broadband connection). While "Give" may lack some of the unexpected punch of "These Are the Vistas," it's a completely likable effort that dodges the sophomore slump.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you ever wondered what Howard Riley or Paul Bley might sound like filtered through Led Zeppelin -- as yer do -- then here's your answer. "Real jazz" yet utterly contemporary. Magic!
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A great contempory jazz album. A bit of Jarrett, a bit of EST, and pretty funky in places. Their cover of Iron Man is a riot.
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