I’ve been trying to steer my nightly doom scrolling in a more productive direction. And while I still do fall down the rabbit hole of funny dog videos, I will stumble across artistic gold. That was the case with ‘Lullaby for the Lost’ by saxophonist Donny McCaslin. It’s a collection filled with modern sonic experimentation combined with a grasp on tradition and beyond. To describe this as genre-defying is not hyperbole. There are elements here that contradict and compliment each other at the same time.
Atmospheric, ethereal guitar in the vein of Bill Frisell or David Torn that does not shy away from gritty rock heaviness. Floating, flickering synthesizer colors and chords that drift into a dreamlike space. Drums that drive this like a locomotive always building to a controlled frenzy. Distorted bass that at times reminds me of Mark Sandman of Morphine. McCaslin’s saxophone phrasing shows more than a hint of James Moody’s influence.
The feel of this will seem familiar to David Bowie fans. McCaslin was the band leader on Bowie’s acclaimed ‘Black Star’ album and most of the band on this release were present then, too. And I can see why that collaboration worked so well. There is a level of daring in the blending of styles here that also defined Bowie’s career. In this case specifically, it’s the combining of jazz with progressive and new age tendencies to form something uniquely special.
Standout Tracks
‘Tokyo Game Show’ – Chaotic triggered percussive sounds launch into a dirty masterpiece of insanity. Polyphonic, polyrhythmic distorted tones come at you from every angle. A progressive gut punch that left me absolutely gobsmacked. This is my favorite track, by the way.
‘Lullaby for the Lost’ – The title track is a study in counterpoint. It builds then falls apart then builds back while staccato guitar defies the frantic drums. Distorted bass contradicts the traditional saxophone runs. The end drifts off, unsettled yet complete. I could listen to this track countless times and find something new each time.
‘Mercy’ – The closing track builds from a layered bed of delayed, distorted guitar. A mood is released with emotional saxophone and sparse percussion. This is truly a study in sound and harmony that the listener can drift on like a cloud. An aesthetically pleasing and emotionally soothing way to bring you down from all the excitement of the album.
The Band
Donny McCaslin – Tenor Saxophone
Jason Lindner – Synthesizers, Electric Piano, Acoustic Piano
Jonathan Maron – Bass
Nate Wood – Drums
Tim Lefebvre – Guitar, Synthesizers
If you want to be challenged as a listener, be sure to check out ‘Lullaby for the Lost’ on Bandcamp. You won’t be disappointed. Also — as a side note — this album has me fascinated with guitarist Tim Lefebvre and I’ll be diving into his work soon. In the meantime, listen to ‘Tokyo Game Show’ below.
Cheers!
Stephen
