GREEN CARROT JAM

You do not like green carrot jam?

Have you ever seen green carrots in reality? I can't remember - not to mention worked up to (a) jam! What the hell is this? Very rare - 100% organic usually ... announced on the jar label at least. Made by mum with love and hope? ... sorry, now I'm getting off the point. This is an EP holding one long 24 minute improvisation song - wrapped by a pun - an original excerpt left from the 'Perpetual Motion' sessions in April 2009 which I've already reviewed.

You can bet a jam jar that this track got on this production in its original state - live as such even including some slight drum problems which proves the original character. Well to be exact, except minimal overdubs nothing is polished and reworked. The song holds nearly the same spirit as 'Helleborus', only violin player Graham Clark is not aboard here. This means as for a jam as it is we have a grooving fundament with driving drums and Andy Budge's playful bass. The guitar is soloing a lot with variations from psychedelic to jazz rock accompanied by Cary's well-conveived squeaking, bubbling and swirling synthesizer adds.

This reminds me of Oresund Space Collective in parts. What makes it enjoyable all along are the changes to spacey floating excursions here and there. Probably I'm wrong but during this moments the guitar sounds MAN (Micky Jones) reminiscent to me - exciting! As usual you can enjoy a collective playing which technically deserves the name 'Cary Grace Band'. Anyway - 'The recipe is a secret, its rare ingredients are arcane and unobtainable' Cary is revealing about the production. This jam is delicious by all means and can be ordered as a nice-looking black vinyl replica CD in mini record sleeve via her own label Door 13 Music.

I do! I like it, Sam-I-am!

This nearly 24 minutes long improvisation introduces Cary's band's strong jam potential, which in her studio releases usually is blended with predefined song elements (a single-malt improv?). In the beginning bass guitar creates a logical rhythmic and melodic starting point for the reactive and creative musical interaction. The jam follows the stylistic line of the "Perpetual Motion" album, having dominant cosmic vintage synths and strong electric solo guitar presence, resembling slightly the sound texture of 1990's Hawkwind releases if searching a comparison. Short pauses in rhythm create open calmer sections for the group to search a direction, and it's fun to listen how the performers support each other and offer musical elements for mutual evaluation, and then continuing the voyage with agreed themes within the groovy causeway towards the next galaxy. This EP supports well her previous album where the free playing has also a very strong role, there though implemented to a compositional context. This EP would probably please also any prog fan interested of improvised playing, in addition of those already knowing Cary's earlier records.