(05.22.05) Jack Dangers, operating under the Meat Beat Manifesto rubric but with new members,
conjures forth his jazziest album yet with At The Center. Featuring Craig Taborn
on keyboards, Dave King of The Bad Plus on drums, and Peter Gordon on flute, the
album is a groovy mash-up of Jack’s trademarked big-beat style electronic and cool
acoustic jazz. Looking back on the discography, this album represents a huge change
in styles from where MBM started with Armed Audio Warfare, but following the curve
of Jack’s progression from the soundscapes of Subliminal Sandwich and the jazzy feel
of Actual Sounds and Voices, through the dub filter of RUOK? and RUOK …in Dub, this
album makes perfect sense. One does wish for Jack’s return to vocals, but in its
place are enough amusing samples to distract the listener from their absence.
At the Center is part of Thirsty Ear’s Blue Series, an attempt by the label to
stretch the boundaries of jazz into electronic realms. And while the two genres
would seem to be diametrically opposed, in Dangers’ hands, they meld seamlessly into
a cohesive whole. “Murita Cycles” has a lounge-y groove, with some very nimble
brushed-snare work from Dave King. Peter Gordon’s flute contributions are very
haunting on the track, meandering over the groove, haunting it. “Want Ads One” and
“Want Ads Two” are amusing enough numbers, featuring the band in full flight on part
one, in ambient comedown on part two, all overlaid with a voice reading strange want
ads. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and it does not bear repeated
listening, but the tracks are a nice enough diversion the first couple of times
through the record. “Bohemian Grove” has Jack playing an eastern melody on plucked
guitar with Taborn (one suspects) supplying a creepy keyboard drone behind it,
making this track a highlight.
Tracks start to sound the same over the length of the album, having similar
instrumentation and no vocals to distinguish them, but this is to be expected. But
it still works, At The Center, being a concept album not of ideas but of sounds:
signature Jack drums, flute solos, and weird electronic tweaks dropping in and
flying around the stereo field. Taking lessons from the …in Dub sessions, Dangers
uses space with a master’s touch, bringing dub and electronic music in the jazz
age. Or jazz into the electronic age. Or dub into the jazz age. Whatever. It works,
and Meat Beat remains at the top of their game.
At The Center is out now on Thirsty Ear.
