Start here. That’s what I’m now able to tell people who ask for an entry point into the avant-jazz that constitutes a large part of my music consumption. Suggesting Nels Cline’s new album Consentrik Quartet is an ideal gateway for beginners isn’t intended as an insult. A sturdy bridge between uncompromising indie-rock and skronky free jazz, Consentrik Quartet will almost certainly stand as one of the most consequential albums of 2025. It doesn’t hurt that it possesses the caché of the Blue Note Records imprint. Furthermore, Cline is already known as Wilco’s freaky guitarist. When I heard saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tom Rainey perform in 2014 I never imagined they’d play with the relatively conventional finesse they display on "Down Close". Bassist Chris Lightcap connects the two realms on tracks like "The 23". The second step for neophytes is more imposing. Released the same day at Consentrik Quartet, the Erik Satie-influenced dissonance Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson showcase on the brilliant Bone Bells is going to be a tougher sell.
Album Review: Tim Berne- Yikes Too
I’m attempting to maintain a modicum of sanity amid the onslaught of unthinkable global events. Unsurprisingly, much of my treatment plan involves music therapy. I turn to instrumental skronk when visceral release is essential but the shouts of punks and the growls of metalheads are likely to miss the mark. Yikes Too has proven to be especially efficacious medication in recent days. The trio of saxophonist Tim Berne, guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi and drummer Tom Rainey rage on appropriately titled tracks like “Trauma” and “Sludge”. At 136 minutes, the live and studio recordings from 2024 act as potent dosage capable of temporarily counteracting discouraging reality.
Album Review: Tony Malaby’s Sabino- The Cave of Winds
The Cave of Winds is mean and ugly. The confrontational chaos overseen by saxophonist Tony Malaby suits the intractable moment. Malaby, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tom Rainey convey legitimate fury on the new release. The aggressively angry “Scratch the Horse” sounds like Charles Mingus by way of Sonic Youth. The ebb and flow of the 18-minute title track evokes a middle aged riot. The quartet doesn’t merely disregard the established rules of improvised music; they deface every signpost of swing propriety.