For King & Country

For King & Country

Following in the tradition of such renegade composers as Frank Zappa, Charles Mingus, Igor Stravinsky and Harrison Bertwhistle, Dave Morecroft seeks a spot in the musical firmament that is decidedly left of center. And as keyboardist and principal composer for the edgy London-based avant-funk-jazz quintet WorldService Project, he is striking a blow upside the head of musical complacency. On For King & Country, the group s RareNoise debut and third release overall, the powerhouse aggregation cuts across stylistic boundaries with impunity and a decided punk-jazz attitude. As Morecroft explains, Punk-jazz for me is more a reflection of rebellion. Maybe it s jazz but it s played with an 'f-you' to the establishment/systems that dictate what jazz is supposed to mean or be.
He further describes the do-or-die presence that the band adopts onstage. WorldService Project is a very intense, high-energy live show. We throw ourselves into it and hope to come out alive at the other end. And if you're not bleeding by the end of it, you haven't tried hard enough.
That instinct is conveyed from track to track on For King & Country (the title itself is a kind of ironic nod to the band s British ancestry). From the prog-rockish tumult of the opener Flick the Beanstalk to the moody closer Requiem for a Worm, WorldService Project carries a pronounced crunch while injecting daring improvisations and myriad punk-jazz expressions into the mix.
he slamming odd-metered piece Fuming Duck, for instance, is indeed an epic listen. Underscored by OHaras fuzz bass lines melding with Clarkson s electric trombone for an uncommonly heavy bottom end, it hits as hard as King Crimson s Red while suggesting something far jazzier. Pope s monstrous drum solo over the band ostinato at the end of this raging piece is an adrenalized highlight. Likewise, Murano Faro slowly builds from something dreamy and distant to a throbbing crescendo with Clarkson s trombone wailing over the top in half-time. Son of Haugesund is a blast of intensity to match anything on Led Zeppelin III while the frantic, tempo-shifting Go Down Ho Ses carries the zany energy of a ska band conducted by Frank Zappa. Ower s passionate sax solos on this unhinged number and on the dramatic Chamonix are both exceptional. And on Mr. Giggles, at once humorous and scary, Morecroft unveils the cartoonish vocals of the title character (a sinister clown alter ego that he introduced on Fire In A Pet Shop) against a clamorous undercurrent. The closer, Requiem for a Worm, opens on a restful, introspective note with Ower blowing breathy tones against a gentle backdrop. Midway through, the mood shifts as the piece gradually builds to a slamming, fuzz-laden crescendo of epic proportions.
Country USA
Brand RARENOISE RECORDS
Manufacturer Rarenoise Records
Binding Audio CD
ReleaseDate 2016-04-29
UnitCount 1
Format Import
EANs 5060197760892

Country	USA
Brand	RARENOISE RECORDS
Manufacturer	Rarenoise Records
Binding	Audio CD
ReleaseDate	2016-04-29
UnitCount	1
Format	Import
EANs	5060197760892

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