A Fresh Record From Mitch Marcus Quintet Goes Pretty Hard
The new record from Mitch Marcus Quintet doesn't waste a lot of time hitting you with audacious sounds that come through bursting with endless energy that, at times, is absolutely through the roof. This is an album that holds little back in the way of giving off vivacious vibes, pulled together with brilliantly fragmented soundscapes and this almost rambunctious feel that makes the record insanely addictive.
There's a lot about this record that is a little bit outside the box. There are experimental undertones to some of these tracks that I found refreshing. This is a bright and vibrant jazz record that showcases brilliant arrangement ability, but also songs that you feed into.
The energy on some of these songs is totally infectious, and it doesn't waste a lot of time with its first and title track, "Inaround".
This initial introduction to the record is already showcasing some of those sporadic, peppered layers of nuances that the rest of the release boasts.
First of all, you have some really cool, almost augmented electric guitar with a little hint of overdrive to it, which is already something that feeds into an edge of your tonality.
The saxophone work is brilliant here because it's not just melodic, but it sort of scatters about and gives you colorful accents.
Mitch performs on the saxophone with great intensity and an addictive approach, simply because he's putting so much emphasis on the wild aspect of things. He's able to really rip and give you all kinds of fun phrasing, an addictive melodic approach, and improvisational skill, but it all has loads of heart. Within his performance alone, you can already hear a real love for the instrument.
The record also features Evan Francis, who performs flute and alto sax; Jeff Miles, bringing you outstanding guitar work that also brings certain kinds of nuances to each individual track and adds a bit of electric liveliness to certain aspects of the record as well; along with Peter Brendler on double bass, giving loads of walking fun and low-end brightness that a lot of the other musicians almost feed off of, it seems; and, of course, Jerad Lippi, who's absolutely ridiculous on the drops.
Together, these guys once more showcase a love for their craft. They're not just playing their instruments or performing, but putting everything together so that they are really creating this atmosphere for you to get pulled into.
Oh, as I mentioned earlier, this first-titled track gets you into the record. It opens the door for what you might expect.
Having said that, there are loads of surprises around its corners, so you can actually expect some of the unexpected.
One of the more fun aspects of this release is its unpredictability at times. Again, you can hear certain improvisational elements coming through, but there are a lot of changes and arrangement surprises that sort of blow you away at times.
By the time you get a few tracks in, you automatically begin to expect the unexpected, which I found really invigorating.
"3 Up, 3 Down" has to be one of my favorite pieces on this release. This thing just comes in thriving with that intense and high-octane energy, fast drumming, and really dynamically approached performances coming from Jerad (drummer), but also elements that add a closed-fisted drive to things as well.
All the performances here are just blistering. They are sort of machine-gun fast. They come right at you and feel almost aggressive but warm in tone.
This was one of the more exciting tracks on the record, and it really gets into your body. You can feel it in your bones, and it makes you want to move. It gets you sort of excited as well because of that energy shining through from start to finish.
"Uh Huh" is another really cool piece on the record that stands out to me.
I especially like the experimental bowed double bass element (or at least, that's what it sounds like), along with some of the guitar work here, because that guitar feels super animated on this track. It brings in a whole different flavor, and there are things about this that feel almost filmic.
This piece is a nice long one, standing at over 10 minutes, and I think it's really cool because you can sort of hear the synergy between the performers a lot on this track in particular.
The way the saxophone and guitar speak to each other throughout this track is absolutely outstanding.
And that's the thing with records like this one. It's a lot of talking. The instruments and players speak to each other; they communicate.
You can actually hear that happening, and it puts you in that live performance setting. It feels alive and breathing because of elements like that.
Like I said before, you always get certain aspects of improv when it comes to great jazz music, but there are sections throughout the course of this release that take things to a new level.
Again, it's partially some of the unpredictability of how it comes through. Those changes, nuances, and energy fluctuations can sort of blow you away a little bit.
But a lot of it is also about this sort of natural flow and ability to perform and think outside the box enough to make a mark.
So, do not miss this record because it's really amazing. It is nine tracks and spins over an hour and 15 minutes in length in total.
Honestly, the whole thing is worth your time.
It's almost perfect for a drive that's about an hour long because it'll keep your blood pumping and give you these different moods along the way.
At any rate, check out the Inaround album from Mitch Marcus Quintet now, and remember where you heard it first.
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