Patrick Burnette is way out of touch! His negative review criticizes this aurally exciting and outstandingly musical offering. Brad's single line playing is melodic and articulate, despite the simpicity of the harmonic arrangement of the original songs that the music is based on. Harmonically this album is quite experimental as well and it flows and breathes with great textures and very musical playing by all musicians. Patrick Burnette states that Brad's piano sounds distant - it sounds very close up and personal where it's supposed to, and at other spots it withdraws into the mix and lets the whole ensamble breathe and move together. It that's a bad thing? Patrick Burnette makes it sound like it is, and I don't know why. I guess every music critic has to find flawn in everything. IMO, very well produced album with great ideas and tender, smart, expressive playing.
March 25, 2008 |  | Best fusion album in a while |  |
I love this album. I am a big time Brad follower. I have seen him play at the Jazzaldia in San Sebastian. I love his trio albums and his innovative approach to piano. And I LOVE this album. I think it is one of the best fusion albums in a while. It is different from other fusion music but it is beautiful and sounds great to my ears. Here you will find some pop songs Brad treats as standards and the addition of horns makes his music more fun. Thanks Brad for this wonderful recording.
January 9, 2008| | | Wonderful collaboraton between Mehldau and Brion | |
Brad Mehldau's Art of the Trio series blows a bit hot and cold to me. There's no doubting the communication this group has built up over the years of playing together, but it sometimes sounds a little too smug and self-indulgent. His solo efforts, on the other hand, are introspective and often hard to grasp, but they show his obvious talent and his unusual improvisational style. Solo, Mehldau can also get to that raw, uncompromised place where he is unfettered by the "other 2", and then he's just incredible.
Jon Brion's challenge as producer was to get Mehldau to play like he does solo, but in an ensemble made up of some of Brion's favourite colours, with lots of woodwinds, brass, and of course, Chamberlin. The result is, Mehldau's best album to date, and one neither Mehldau nor Brion fans should be without. Let's hope there's a sequel to this one!
November 24, 2007 | | I wanted to love it, but I am not able to... | |
Sorry Brad, you are good, this album - NOT!
Like others said before:
* Emotionally Sterile
* Repetitive
* Simplistic and Boring
* Some tracks really make your ear drums HURT!
* Feels too Computerized, no room for the slightest improvisation
Besides the nice cover.... yep.. just a nice cover
Sorry brad, better luck next time :)
August 20, 2006Well, ok, Mehldau's arrangements aren't bad...He does a great version of "Paranoid Android" but otherwise...WHERE'S THE ENERGY? There's really not a whole lot of excitement or energy in this album, and I do understand this as being a more laid back, mellowed-out album...but it is still possible to be more exciting, energetic, or emotional in this style. All three of these things are pretty much absent from this CD which ends up making it dull. :yawn:
April 8, 2006More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(39 reviews)