The Squid's Ear
Writing about improvised, contemporary, experimental and unusual music,
following the activities of Squidco...
  •  •  •     Join Our Mailing List!



The Squid's Ear




Heard In

Reviews of artist releases:
cd's, books, magazines, &c.


  Fred Frith And Arte Quartet 
  Still Urban
  (Intakt) 


  
   review by Jeph Jerman
  2009-05-02
Fred Frith And Arte Quartet: Still Urban (Intakt)

This little gem might be overshadowed by other recent Frith-related offerings (the Henry Cow box set for example) and it's a shame. What we have here are pieces composed by Frith for a saxophone quartet, aided and abetted by his very recognizable guitar improvising and some field recordings of cityscapes. Placing these compositions among traffic sounds and the odd bit of conversation gives the feeling that the recording could've happened out on the street, and further, that it wouldn't be at all bizarre or uncommon. They somehow fit right in.

The main thrust of sound is the sax quartet, and Frith's guitar is sometimes so unobtrusive that it just sounds like another horn. He does occasionally jut out by himself, but not for long, and often to signal a change in the form. When his feedback and scraping erupt during "part 2", it's to throw a foil into the until-then serene orchestrations. Soon after we get diced up guitar/sax improvisations placed alongside big saxophone chords. The whole seesaws back and forth like this quite a bit, with a goodly amount of Fred's sense of humor intercut with solemn pathos, never residing for too long in any one emotional place.







Comments and Feedback:



More Recent Reviews, Articles, and Interviews @ The Squid's Ear...


The Squid's Ear presents
reviews about releases
sold at Squidco.com
written by
independent writers.

Squidco

Recent Selections @ Squidco:


Marty Ehrlich/
Julius Hemphill:
Circle the Heart
[CD + DOWNLOAD]
(Relative Pitch)



John Butcher:
Away, I Was
[CD + DOWNLOAD]
(Relative Pitch)



Joel Futterman:
Absorb
[DIGITAL RELEASE]
(Squid Note Records)



Joel Futterman:
Reflective
[DIGITAL RELEASE]
(Squid Note Records)



Rainer Jancis/
Elliott Sharp:
Uhhuu
(zOaR Records)



Memphis Metaphysics (
Moses/
Westgaard/
Oswald/
Edmaiston/
Cheli):
Memphis Metaphysics
(Sonic Transmissions Records)



Steve Lehman Trio +
Mark Turner:
The Music of
Anthony Braxton
(Pi Recordings)



John Cage:
Chamber Works 1943-1951
(Another Timbre)



Fieldwork (
Iyer/
Lehman/
Sorey):
Thereupon
(Pi Recordings)



Angharad Davies/
Burkhard Beins:
Meshes Of The Evening
[VINYL]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)



Morton Feldman/
GBSR Duo w/ Taylor MacLennan:
Trios
[6 CD BOX SET]
(Another Timbre)



Jessica Williams:
Blue Abstraction:
Prepared Piano Project
1985-1987
[VINYL]
(Pre-Echo Press)



Daniel Levin/
Laurent Estoppey:
Freedom From The Known
[VINYL]
(ezz-thetics by
Hat Hut Records
Ltd)



Kai Fagaschinski:
Aerodynamics
[VINYL 2 LPs]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)



Liz Allbee:
Breath Vessels
[VINYL]
(NI-VU-NI-CONNU)



Kris Davis and
The Lutoslawski Quartet:
Solastalgia Suite
(Pyroclastic Records)



Ernesto Rodrigues/
Guilherme Rodrigues:
Pico
(Creative Sources)



Ernesto Rodrigues/
Ines Ferreira/
Carlos Santos/
Monsieur Trinite:
Cimetiere des Bateaux
(Creative Sources)



Evan Parker/
Andrea Centazzo:
Bullfighting On Ice!
Live In Padova
1977
[VINYL]
(Ictus Remastered Collection)



Alvin Curran/
Andrea Centazzo/
Evan Parker:
Real Time
[VINYL]
(Ictus Remastered Collection)







Squidco
Click here to
advertise with
The Squid's Ear






The Squid's Ear pays its writers.
Interested in becoming a reviewer?




The Squid's Ear is the companion magazine to the online music shop Squidco !


  Copyright © Squidco. All rights reserved. Trademarks. (9766)