Despite using traditional instrumentation, the Montreal trio of pianist Lisa Cay Miller, guitarist Vicky Mettler, and bassist Raphael Foisy-Couture avoid sounding anything but traditional, through preparations and a mischievous attitude transforming their instruments and applying them to a highly interactive and darkly optimistic set of very unique dialogs.
"This set of improvised pieces is made up of Montrealers Raphael Foisy-Couture (bass), Vicky Mettler (guitar), and Vancouverite Lisa Cay Miller (piano). There's a relaxed atmosphere among the trio, despite seemingly disparate elements that swing and play with a tight cohesion; networked fistulas convey and receive.
Along with their industriousness, this keeps their music light and exploratory, appealingly collectively-minded throughout. Miller only occasionally breaks out into fitful knots of block chords, her and Foisy's slyly executed extended techniques keep flowing a steady variety of sounds, and Mettler's crafty instrumental resourcefulness (as in the prismatic folk of her project Kee Avil) results in a deeply pleasing group improvisation that often feels wonderfully domestic."-Notice Recordings
"When listening to the improvised pieces from 'Grind Halts' by Lisa Cay Miller, Vicky Mettler and Raphaël Foisy I like to try and imagine how it was recorded. In my head, all three musicians are in a room looking at each other. Around them are their weapons of choice. Miller a piano. Mettler a guitar and Foisy-Couture a bass. There is also a slew of found objects that they've brought in to play if the mood takes them. Sheets of metal, glass bottles and any number of things they can tinker on. Once they are assembled here is a nervous few moments in silence. Neither is sure who, nor how, to start. After a few tentative glances they reach for their instruments and they're off. Though the pieces are playful and full of light and movement, at their heart is something slightly malevolent. 'The Halting' is filled with brooding melodies that only really unveil themselves near the end. The final third is a marvellous creaking and shuddering affair that seamlessly bleeds into 'On a Grind'. Grind Halts is an album that you can get lost in. It's full of inventive motifs and killer melodies. When the trio allows themselves the pleasure to play them."-Vital Weekly