MONOBODY

Monobody is a band that exists in a blurry borderland between jazz fusion and math rock, and this album comfortably sits right in the middle between the two genres, combining fast, complicated melodic lines on clean guitars with freedom to improvise in between the strictly composed sections as well as a bouncy, jazzy rhythm section (the band has two bassists and I'm not sure who did what exactly but the bass playing on this album is particularly excellent). Collin Clauson accompanies the band aptly with his piano and synthesizer, with his most prominent moment being on "Atala" where he plays some cool doublings and call-and-response bits with the guitar, but it's guitarist Conor Mackey (whose guitar tone walks a line between the cleanness and [mostly] lack of reverb that's typical of math rock, and the lack of treble that's typical of traditional jazz guitar playing) who's really the main star on the album and whose instrument is right at the forefront in the mix all the time.

"Sylphina" is the most convincing synthesis of the two genres, starting with some clean guitar chords, followed by a very pretty main theme played by a double-tracked Mackey playing harmonics in one layer and arpeggios in another, interspersed with some open spaces for the guitar, bass and keyboards to solo. It is the highlight of the album, along with "Cloudless Sulphur", which starts off quiet and down-to-earth before changing pace halfway through and gradually becoming faster and more intense, growing from a synthy shuffle into a manic heavy rocker, with drummer Nnamdi Ogbonnaya really doing an impressive number on his cymbals. The opening and closing tracks are in themselves an excellent sampler of what the album is like, with unusual chord progressions and weird guitar parts played in broken, constantly changing rhythms, interchanged by beautiful, catchy main themes. "Mimic" is the most jazzy song on the album and is mostly dedicated to a virtuosic guitar jam that's vaguely reminiscent of bands such as Cab or Tribal Tech, while "Harvester" is a slower, more contemplative piece to soften the listener up in preparation of the grand finale.

The album's short length is a pity, but this is nonetheless a highly recommended gem of instrumental music that's sure to keep you on your toes.

Five virtuosi hailing from Chicago are back with their third album, this one a little shorter than the previous two, and having diverged even further from the Post Rock/Math Rock roots they began with. Where 2018's Raytracing showed a clear propensity for exploring a more jazz direction, this album, Comma, completes the commitment: Monobody are playing complex, melodic, virtuosic jazz-rock fusion compositions that are on a level with anything the Pat Metheny Group ever made.

1. "Eighty Eight" (4:38) with an opening using a complex time signature compatible with a Pat Metheny Group or Toe song, Monobody announce from the get-go their jazz-rock fusion preferences. Piano, basses, drums, and the dextrous WES MONTGOMERY-like guitar fingering style of Conor Mackey all weave their individual magic into a wonderfully impressive and, at the same time, engaging song. (9.5/10)

2. "Sylphina" (4:23) opening with a flurry--like a Jazz Crusaders' song--the piano, bass, and keyboard interplay is exquisite and intricate. In the second minute things smooth down into a dreamy, pastoral passage with a greater synth-keyboard presence than we're used to hearing from the band. Collin Clauson and Al Costis are trying their hands at being the band's Chick Corea and/or Lyle Mays! There's even quite a little STEELY DAN here, as well. (9/10)

3. "Cloudless Sulphur" (5:53) opening with a synth-wash bleed-in from the previous song, guitar and keys duet delicately to open. At 0:55 a TOE-like bass-and-guitar combine to great effect as the synth and drums support from the background. Then at 2:43, a flange-funked bass line takes over with the drummer and OZRIC TENTACLES-like space-synth sounds filling space as the guitar feels his way around in the in-between. At 4:05 we break again, into a cool four-part weave--drums, synth, guitar, and bass all feeling as if they are exploring their own pathways--until they all come back together at 4:42 (with increased distortion and amperage to the two-tracked riffing guitar). Cool journey--almost psychedelic. (8.75/10)

4. "Atala" (3:20) the most straightforward jazz song on the album thus far--possibly made so by the dominant piano jazz chord play throughout. It's fast, intricate, and complex. Pat and Lyle would be quite proud!. (9/10)

5. "Mimic" (4:15) opens as if a Tony Levin class étude. More intricate jazziness, fast multiple instrumental runs and soli (bass, George Benson-like jazz guitar, Donald Fagen-like Fender Rhodes). Cool JAN AKKERMAN-like guitar chord sequence 2:30-2:45! More chordal and melodic reminders of Steely Dan in that fourth minute. (9/10)

6. "Harvester" (3:53) more sensitive, slow-tempoed arpeggiated jazz chord work in both the sparse passages and the full-band sections. Again, I am somehow reminded of the melodic and atmospheric genius of the Japanese band TOE here. As horn-like synths join and build their presence in the third minute I am reminded of NuJazz band JAGA JAZZIST. Nice! (9/10)

7. "Phaon Crescent" (6:40) probably the most impressive-sounding song on the album--and most mature--despite the fact the band seem to be pandering for a melodic "hook" from the very opening notes--one that is established by the guitarist by the end of the first minute before going off into a very Pat Metheny Group-like passage for the bulk of the second minute. It's great music--and great musicianship--jazz-rock at its very highest--and it's followed up with some more subtle Donald Fagen-isms in the third minute (from the piano, of course)--which is great--and then developing into the Lyle and Pat show for the fourth--I just want my Monobody to be more distinctively themselves. Great, great passage from 3:45 to 4:30! (9.5/10)

Total Time 33:02

I've figured out that the feelings of "disappointment" I've been having as I listen to this album are caused by the fact that, for the first time, I am hearing lots of similarities to other bands and other influences, whereas on Monobody and Raytracing I was being completely blown away by the utterly unique sound and stylings I was hearing. Maybe these influences and styles were present and I was not hearing them, but now they are quite obvious to me. Don't get me wrong: I LOVE this album--and I love the direction/evolution the band are choosing; I do not like the fact that hearing some of these songs out of context--i.e. in a random playlist--I will at times be thinking I'm listening to a song by Pat Metheny & Lyle mays, Toe, or even Steely Dan or Unaka Prong--none of which are a bad thing (I love all of the music of the afore-mentioned bands) but not exclusively unique to MONOBODY.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion--and in the hunt for Album the Year honors as my favorite album that I've heard, so far.

The first of two absolutely phenomenal releases from one of the most talented group of musicians around today, this is something I liked from first listening, but the music is so dense, tight, and well-written that it continues to grow on me as to one of the very finest releases of the last decade. Difficult to categorize, but I would say a bit of Kenso, a bit of King Crimson, a bit of Lyle Mays, and a bit of Hatfield-era Dave Stewart. There is no holding back here, they are aiming for something incredible, and they are succeeding. 'Curry Courier Career' and 'Gilgamesh' are stunning. I have no idea how someone could possibly rate this one star. This is one of those rare things that actually blows my socks off. I found one of them in my neighbors yard, the other remains at large. Very highly recommended!

The boys from Chicago are back! As you may recall, their 2015 self-titled debut crashed onto the Post Rock scene with quite a splash! In fact, I rated it as a five-star masterpiece and included it among my list of favorite Post Rock albums of all-time. As good as that album was, this is better. The startlingly quick tempo variations and melodic maturity displayed here shows that these guys have been working hard over the past three years.

1. "Ilha Verde" (10:44) opens with slow, delicate playing from heavily distorted and lightly-flanged electric instruments while drums play clear and pure somewhat sub rosa. Things ramp up into a tight jazz weave in the third minute and then get crazy-cruisin' by the fourth--a little avant with tight stop-and-starts and a very tightly woven weave. By the middle of the fourth minute things are bass-slappin' Primal, if you know what I mean! Then, just as suddenly, at the four minute mark things break down and we glide into a section of gorgeous Lyle-Mays-like melodic jazz. Guitar and piano here are so tight! This is such a diverse odyssey--like a jazz master class! Intricate staccato work returns, followed by the heavier King Crimson-like stuff to the mid-eight minute. Another break as we enter a new dreamy patch. Wow! What a ride! It is truly like experiencing all of the emotional and spatial shifts of Homer's Odyssey--in just under eleven minutes! Great multiple-layered pacing in the final section as drums go frenetic beneath gentler keys and floating guitars on top. (9.5/10)

2. "Raytracing" (4:47) complex, fast-paced weave with, at times, a bassa nova kind of beat structure and some really funky guitar and vibe sounds woven into some gorgeous passages. Incredibly impressive cohesion and synchrony from all band members. Incredibly impressive song! (10/10)

3. "Former Islands" (5:26) the song most like their debut album. It opens fast-paced, intricately woven as Post Rock with a TOE. (Japanese Post Rock band) feel to it. Solid, impressive song with solid, impressive instrumental performances over the course of two movements in an A-B-A-B structure. The melodies in the B section are gorgeous. (10/10)

4. "Echophrasia" (9:59) a gentle, spacey opening section with floating synths and keys over which percussives and guitar noodle their rapidly traveling passages. When things pick up and become jazzier in the third minute, the feel becomes all intricately constructed, well-rehearsed timed rapidly arpeggiated chord progressions--jazz! A spacey interlude in the fifth minute lets everyone catch their breath before guitar arpeggi, cymbol play support trombone and slide guitar work. The intricate weave of guitar, keys, and bass and drums rises and intensifies before a guitar scream introduces a heavy" technical-metal section. This is so impressive the way the whole-band's timing has to be so perfect in order to pull off the realization of these crazy-complex compositions! (9/10)

5. "The Shortest Way" (1:03) a cross between John Martyn's echoplex guitar and Mark Isham's synth work to give the listener a little respite from this stunning album. Thank you! (4.5/5)

6. "Opalescent Edges" (8:08) speaking of Mark Isham, this one opens like a Minimalist Isham-Bill Bruford EARTHWORKS piece. Chunky bass and psuedo-power chords give the third section a little STEELY DAN feel to it. (What?!) But then Conor Mackay just has to show off his amazing speed for a few before we fall into another classic jazz gentle bridge leading to a Stick and vibes weave with keys and bass and drums rockin' out to drown out the band! This sixth minute would have been the perfect finale, but no, the band has to keep going in order to let some individual steam off--here the guitar and synth get some solo time before they weave back into whole before decaying into the sedating final minute of space sounds. Wow! What did I just experience? How does one define this music? "Prog Perfection!" (10/10)

Throw away the Post Rock/Math Rock label, boys, this is Jazz-Rock Fusion at it's most intricately KonstruKted King Crimsonianness.

Five stars; a certifiable masterpiece of modern progressive rock music--and album that would make Señors Fripp, Bruford, Levin, Belew, Gunn, Mastelotto, Harrison, Jakszyk, and Rieflin proud. My new leader for Album of The Year honors.