Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2023
Personnel - Brandon Seabrook: guitar, mandolin, banjo; John McCowen: contrabass clarinet, Bb clarinet, alto and bass recorder; Marika Hughes: cello; Henry Fraser: contrabass; Eivind Opsvick: contrabass; Chuck Bettis: electronics, voice; Nava Dunkelman: percussion, glockenspiel, voice; Sam Ospovat: drum set, gongs, vibraphone, chimes.
Untamable guitarist Brandon Seabrook takes a new direction as, according to his own words, he tries to slow things down and open things up. Known for the inventiveness and tension put into his playing, the guitarist delivers eight new striking compositions that, together, and within their spirit of freedom, form an unconventionally gripping post-modern opus.
With sterling contributions from seven talented musicians, Seabrook starts this journey with a savory mix of eclectic influences and strong contemporary affiliation. “brutalovechamp” opens with recorder and mandolin, having contrapuntal cello movements joining the classical-themed festivity. The atmosphere is initially pressurized by a prog-rock attitude, but then an exciting funk imposes, carved out by motivic guitar incisions. Drummer Sam Ospovat enjoys some time unaccompanied before an odd-metered vamp materializes with aboriginal-like sounds mixed with alt-rock and classical elements.
“I Wanna Be Chlorophylled” is split into two parts. The first, “Corpus Conductor”, incorporates an intricate guitar-laden texture (not devoid of Hendrixian maverick quality) and eerily cinematic bowed bass infusions by Henry Fraser. The octet returns to the point of departure prior to falling into a languid rock progression that encourages a winding guitar solo. The second part, “Thermal Rinse” is slow, taciturn and introspective in its cello+bass inception. Seabrook infuses it with fast guitar crotchet in the final stage, and there are these chiming legato notes creating a droning effect.
Whereas “The Perils of Saint-Betterment” places crisp mandolin strumming at the center of its fluid motion, and opens space for the venturesome contrabass clarinet of John McCowen, “Gutbucket Asylum” reaches a climactic peak with dissonance, frenzied vocals by Nava Dunkelman, speedy guitar picking, and driving percussion.
Notched by bowed banjo, “Libidinal Bouquets” would have given a perfect score for one of Guy Maddin’s weird odysseys on film, while “Compassion Montage” is characterized by operatic vocals from Dunkelman and Chuck Bettis.
brutalovechamp radiates energy with rippling intensity, being Seabrook’s affirmation as a skilled composer. This is a work of focused commitment and ambition.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - brutalovechamp ► 02 - I Wanna Be Chlorophylled I: Corpus Conductor ► 06 - Gutbucket Asylum