FIRE! ARE A SWEDISH TRIO OF VETERAN EXPERIMENTAL MUSICIANS AND JAZZERS INCLUDING THE VENERABLE SAXOPHONIST MATS GUSTAFSSON. THEY, ON THEIR REGULAR NON-COLLABORATIVE WITH OUTSIDER RECORDS, SLOT IN NICELY WITH THE GENERAL AESTHETIC OF OSLO LABEL RUNE GRAMMOFON: GENERALLY MORE LISTENABLE HYBRIDS OF JAZZ AND EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC AKIN TO SOMETHING PUT OUT BY ECM, ONLY WITH A FOCUS ON SCANDINAVIAN TALENT.
JIM SEEMS TO PLAY A SQUALLING ELECTRIC GUITAR HERE WHILE THE RHYTHM SECTION KEEP AN INTERESTING AND MOMENTUM-FOCUSED BACKING GOING. GUSTAFSSON INTERVENES WITH SOME CHUNKY OVERBLOWN SAX TONES AND RHYTHMIC INTERPLAY. IT'S AMAZING HOW EVEN WITH A DECENT BEAT AND BASS BLAPPING AWAY THAT EVEN THE MOST ANNOYING GUITAR SECTIONS DON'T REPEL YOU COMPLETELY.
AT ITS BEST IT REMINDS ME OF FINNISH GROUP CIRCLE OR BOHREN UND DER CLUB OF GORE. UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT ALL AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL AND I'D ARGUE, THOUGH NOT TOO PASSIONATELY, THAT WHATEVER JIM IS DOING IS PROBABLY THE LEAST INTERESTING THING GOING ON HERE. AT POINTS IT WOULDN'T EVEN BE A CASE OF 'CHANGING WHAT YOU'RE PLAYING' RATHER JUST ERASING HIS CONTRIBUTIONS.
THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, I SHOULD POINT OUT, BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH ATONAL WANKING ON A GUITAR A MAN CAN TAKE.
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