This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Album Reviews
Album Review: Soil & “PIMP” Sessions – 6 (Brownswood Recordings)
By Paul Vig | Published on Monday 26 April 2010
This Tokyo sextet, known for their “aggressive, alternative jazz”, return with their sixth LP, hence the title. Formed in 2001 and terming their music “death jazz”, the band’s live sets are furious and energetic, but since their last LP they have taken a less leftfield approach to their recorded music.
That said, ‘6’ does start with the sax honking in a crazed fashion on ‘Keizoku’, but ‘Satsurika To Heiwa’ is the album’s only real ‘jazz-punk’ moment. ‘My Foolish Heart’ is simply a great jazz number, while ‘Quartz And Chronometer’, which is arranged fabulously and just builds and builds, is the highlight of the album, but not typical of the band.
A collaboration with crooner Jamie Cullum is even included, a cover of Oliver Nelson’s ‘Stolen Moments’. It’s a piece that has been covered many times before and better, which is sad, considering Soil & “PIMP” Sessions’ usual ability to twist covers to their advantage. Their earlier cover of ‘Pigbag’ is much better.
With ‘6’, Soil & “PIMP” Sessions continue to provide a different take on jazz, although this is definitely less madcap than their previous outings, and slightly more mainstream. But, put simply, it is top drawer stuff. A serious contender for album of the year. PV
Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon
