MAN CODA

The second obscurity from this avant-trio down under, "Man Coda" is very much a return to form from their debut, "Nebular Trajectory". Once again an all instrumental affair, this second album sees four extended jazz compositions that veer into chaotic avant-garde territories. The music is once again very improvisatory, with a meek bass and drums rhythm section and distorted guitar from Len Henderson leading the course. The results of this expedition are less fruitful than on "Nebular Trajectory"; the opening and closing tracks tend to devolve into very sparse noodling and the overall focus of the album seems less inspired. While "Force Funk" produced a riveting opening on the debut, the only energetic playing to be found on "Man Coda" is the second track, "Zeitgeist", with its more active percussion and heavy Robert Fripp-like riffing. "The Little Prince" is also a nice tune, offering a more mellow, laid back feel that hasn't been very present in Quasar's generally eerie sound.

This one, along with the debut, is a 2-star release for me, since it has a very limited appeal; there really is much stronger avant-garde jazz out there to appreciate. In fact, I'd probably recommend "Nebular Trajectory" over this one, since it has a more varied soundscape. Nothing that you're really missing out on.