Search - Bad Plus :: Prog

TBP at their melodic best

Kevin Berridge | 06/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Bad Plus has a very distinctive sound. They take a melody and decompose it right down to its essence, then build it back up into their own interpretation, whether it be a "cover" or an original. This album is a great example of that.



In much of their past music they would let the sound devolve almost to chaos before meeting up again. For a lot of people, that was a real turn off. If you were one of those people, you may enjoy this album more than the previous ones. There is a much stronger focus on melody and interplay in Prog.



For me personally, I can listen to Prog on repeat non stop and never get tired of it. In particular I love the way Giant builds and sways and the way Life On Mars keeps you waiting for nearly the whole song before playing the chorus, creating an awesome moment of arrival. But every song on this album has something unique to offer.



If you're into groove oriented music that teases you with melody, you'll love this album. But if you prefer more straight up pop or swing The Bad Plus may be too out there for you. That said, a surprising number of my friends have really gotten into them, so I'd recommend giving Prog a listen!"