That must have been some brainstorming: How do we make the design of our new album even more minimalist than "Three" or "Travel"?
The answer The Necks found for "Bleed" is: Yes.
THE NECKS - Bleed (CD) (2024)
One thing is for sure: The artwork doesn't overshadow or distract from the tracklist, which is already featured on the front cover, since "Bleed" only consists of one forty-two minutes long track of the same name.
Of course I know that the Australian Experimental Post Jazz trio has a long history and have done conceptually comparable works before. But my frame of reference naturally mostly are the aforementioned last two albums which I own. And this one couldn't start more opposite: No wild, relentless drums and percussions and steady upright bass putting you into almost shamanistic trance with their endless hypnotic repetition.
"Bleed" starts off just with a slow, sparse grand piano and needs ages until any signs of rhythm instruments make an entrance. And even though the piece features a couple of dramatic highs, all in all it remains a very introspective Ambient experience, lead either my the dripping keys or restrained organ, while the bass provides subtle supporting noises and needs about half of the track until it even forms a slow pattern. The percussion is even more textural and only frees itself from its self-imposed discipline on very few occasions. And sometimes drummer Tony Buck just switches to mellow electric guitar entirely.
So does anything actually happen at all on this album? Paradoxically there is just as much - if not even more - change happenening as on their albums with three or four tracks, because even though the pace is extremely tempered, the sounds and arrangements are in constant flux.
The Necks don't really let any motif stay for long, yet there's a unity of atmosphere and story which holds this improvisation (which I highly suppose this is) together.
If I needed to put a label on "Bleed" it would by Ambient Free Doomjazz.
Coincidently just like on the Can live album I just reviewed (in German) before this, the only thing bugging me is the weirdly aprupt ending. Did you play a note which was that bad?
"Bleed" is not an album for anytime and everywhere. When you're seriously tired, yet want to stay up, this won't help you. But if your mind is curious and present enough to actively explore it, it will reward you far beyond your expectations.
So could their booking agency now finally be so kind to plan a European tour, which comes at least remotely close to my location? Thanks!
Of course I know that the Australian Experimental Post Jazz trio has a long history and have done conceptually comparable works before. But my frame of reference naturally mostly are the aforementioned last two albums which I own. And this one couldn't start more opposite: No wild, relentless drums and percussions and steady upright bass putting you into almost shamanistic trance with their endless hypnotic repetition.
"Bleed" starts off just with a slow, sparse grand piano and needs ages until any signs of rhythm instruments make an entrance. And even though the piece features a couple of dramatic highs, all in all it remains a very introspective Ambient experience, lead either my the dripping keys or restrained organ, while the bass provides subtle supporting noises and needs about half of the track until it even forms a slow pattern. The percussion is even more textural and only frees itself from its self-imposed discipline on very few occasions. And sometimes drummer Tony Buck just switches to mellow electric guitar entirely.
So does anything actually happen at all on this album? Paradoxically there is just as much - if not even more - change happenening as on their albums with three or four tracks, because even though the pace is extremely tempered, the sounds and arrangements are in constant flux.
The Necks don't really let any motif stay for long, yet there's a unity of atmosphere and story which holds this improvisation (which I highly suppose this is) together.
If I needed to put a label on "Bleed" it would by Ambient Free Doomjazz.
Coincidently just like on the Can live album I just reviewed (in German) before this, the only thing bugging me is the weirdly aprupt ending. Did you play a note which was that bad?
"Bleed" is not an album for anytime and everywhere. When you're seriously tired, yet want to stay up, this won't help you. But if your mind is curious and present enough to actively explore it, it will reward you far beyond your expectations.
So could their booking agency now finally be so kind to plan a European tour, which comes at least remotely close to my location? Thanks!
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