Jaga Jazzist/One-Amed Bandit

Hurrah! The first album of the year that I'm absolutely PUMPED on! It's been five whole years since What We Must, so they had soooo much to live up to. First time I heard it, I was like, "meh". But it's definitely grown on me over the last couple of days. Waaay more usage of conventional instrumentation, but in the best way possible. Sometimes it sounds like Peaches En Regalia style Frank Zappa....a lot more groove in the rhythm section(sounds like they are taking a page out of the Omar Rodriguez handbook). But I gotta say that this album gets me fucking pumped. Perfect cold weather music. Also guaranteed to turn your car into a spaceship.

Banditry

40 seconds in this song kicks into the baddest ass fucking groove I've heard in a minute, and then when the horns come over....sheesh. THAT'S what it's all about right thurr.

Yes, We Must

These are demos and outtakes from Jaga Jazzist's neo-classic What We Must. These Norse dudes play jazz-fusion. In the vein of The Weather Report or even Mahavishnu Orchestra, except they add a 21st-century electronic twist. Mixing drum programming and live horns. It's fucking brilliant. Then, on What We Must they flipped the script and used a live drummer. Almost sounding like Explosions In The Sky while always maintaining this insane jazz cool. Especially in winter I find myself listening to this band a lot. It can turn the frozen decay of downtown Reno, into some magical wonderland. With northern lights, and the Coca-Cola polar bears and the kind of snow that ain't cold.

The best part about this band is you can literally pick up any release and start from there. Yet, they don't all sound the same, it's crazy. Even though these are just a few demos from their last record, I think it serves as good an introduction as any of their other releases. But if you like this I suggest getting What We Must, and then A Living Room Hush, and you'd pretty much be set.

For All You Happy People+