SOUNDTRACK: THE COMET IS COMING-Tiny Desk Concert #924 (December 13, 2019).
I had recently heard good things about The Comet is Coming. But when I listened to some of their CD I wasn’t all that interested in them.
As a result I wasn’t really expecting much from this Tiny Desk Concert.
But HOLY CRAP!
This was amazing. So amazing that I immediately looked to see if they were playing anywhere near me, because I must see them live!
Turns out they played the Foundry in Philly back in March. I sure wish I had seen that, but am just happy they didn’t play there last week or something, because it means they might be back in a few months!
The musicians are King Shabaka on saxophone; Danalogue on synthesizer and Betamax on drums, and they are each amazing to behold.
I actually thought this might have been one long 20 minute jam, but in fact it is three separate songs from their second album Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery.
The set began with a deep drone from keyboardist Dan Leavers, aka Danalogue. It kicked into full gear when he leaped into the air and, on descent, drummer Max Hallett, aka Betamax, whacked the snare drum, setting off a transformative 19-minute concert.
The Comet is Coming is a force of nature. The British trio’s approach to the Tiny Desk was ferocious. Shabaka Hutchings, aka King Shabaka, blew his sax hard while his effects pedal added reverb, expanding not only his sound but altering the office and making it a little eerier.
As soon as Danalogue hit the ground, the drums and sax absolutely take off–fast notes and drum hits as the song intros with sirens and electric bleeps and bloops. Its hard to even know if the song itself has started or if its just a warm up. But things mellow out as Danalogue and Betamax slow down. But just as quickly, that rest is over and the drums and synth are off playing what I assume is now “Super Zodiac.” King Shabaka plays a wild sax riff and off the song goes. It’s about five minutes of fast heavy riffage and freeform sax. There’s even a call and response with the keys and the sax at one point.
Then at around 4 minutes, the beat changes up and things sort of slow down a bit. The song pretty much ends at around 5 minutes, but the synth and drums continue as they begin a slow pounding introduction to the next song.
King Skabaka soon comes in with his sax as the pace picks up. At around 7 minutes “Summon The Fire” begin with a great saxophone riff. Moments later, the middle is wild and chaotic fun as King Shabaka gets sweatier and sweatier. Danalogue must also be super sweaty in his full track suit. Only Betamax seems calm back there as his arms are flying all over the place.
At 11 minutes, the whole thing comes almost comes to a halt until King Shabaka starts paying the opening riff of “Blood Of The Past.” The song is more of that great riff making on synth and sax–fast and furious until about half way in when things slow down and there’s a lengthy trippy keyboard solo while the King takes a much-needed breather.
At 16 minutes the set seems like it’s over with rumbling drums and synths but they still have a little energy left– a squealing sax solo followed by Danalogue making all kinds of computer chip and glitch sounds as the set comes to a close.
I had to watch this three times in a row and I am certainly going to give their record another listen on the way home.
[READ: December 23, 2019] “Only Orange”
This was an excellent story to end the year with. It was so good I saved it for S. to read because there were so many lines I wanted to share with her, I figured she should just read it herself.
The story begins with the narrator, Jeanne, saying to her brother’s girlfriend that she must like beige a lot since she wears it all the time…or maybe oatmeal?
Audrey, the girlfriend is taken aback and says that her pants are green. And just like that Audrey found out she was color-blind. She spent the rest of their family vacation asking the color of things.
Her parents thought this was so interesting and really loved talking to her about it but Jeanne thought she was faking–Audrey was twenty-six after all. Audrey and Lino lived in the U.S. but Jeanne lived in Paris so this family vacation was their first time meeting. When she asked where Audrey went to school and the answer was “Lewis & Clark,” Jeanne thought she was making it up, thinking fondly of the TV show Lois & Clark.
Jeanne’s brother, Lino, is annoyed at the way she starts acting toward Audrey, but then, he was never nice about Jeanne’s boyfriend Matt. He only ever said Matt’s name to discuss the qualities of “an average human being” as in “people like Matt don’t care about contemporary theater.”
Jeanne was also jealous of Audrey because she Audrey was adopted:
to be able to look at the people who love you the most and not have to worry that you’ll turn out exactly like them must be amazing, I thought. An endlessly renewable source of relief.
Jeanne is also annoyed about how gullible her mother is being abut Audrey–how could she have read so many novels and still take anything anyone ever said at face value. (more…)
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SOUNDTRACK: THUNDERCAT-“Black Squalls” (2020).
I really liked Thundercat’s album “Drunk.” At first I wasn’t sure about it because it tends into some smooth R&B which I don’t really like. But his musicianship and lyrics were just too good, that he won me over. And when he gets his bass fingers moving, it’s a marvel.
SOUNDTRACK: TANYA TAGAQ-Toothsayer EP (2019).
Earlier this year, Tanya Tagaq released a five-song EP to accompany the British National Maritime Museum’s “Polar Worlds” exhibit.
I had never heard of Rahsaan Roland Kirk before reading this story. This surprises me since i rather like avant garde jazz. I looked him up and was blown away by 
I Just Read About That... 