WIBUTEE — Sweet Mental (review)

WIBUTEE — Sweet Mental album cover Album · 2006 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
Electrojazz is a great description of Wibutee, but then, there is a bit of rock to go with the nu-jazz sound too, and on their last album, 'Sweet Mental' that rock-feel is probably best demonstrated by the catchy 'Aalo' where Hakon Karnstad’s tenor is used to play a sequence of riff-like lines, something used to great effect elsewhere on the album. In fact, the focus on arrangement rather than soloing (though there are solos too, not to worry if you need to hear them in your jazz) demonstrates the rock and pop approach, and adds to the memorable nature of much of the music within. You hear it and a lot of the melodies get stuck in your head right away. Thankfully, in this case that isn’t a hallmark of something that I’ve tired of quickly, coming back to this one many times over the months since I picked it up.

The varied electronic aspects are vital to the overall feel of ‘Sweet Mental’ which is powerful in establishing an at times sombre mood (‘Stereo Plains’ or ‘Sebastopol’ for instance) and the album could not do without them. After the contemplative opener, one of two vocal pieces, ‘Aalo’ is probably the most uptempo. Whether it’s the quieter, clean tones of the guitar or the keys, synth and celesta, the uncluttered use of the drum kit (or any instrument for that matter) throughout, the album just keeps its head above too much pensiveness with a few upbeat songs, ‘Two With Nature’ coming as welcome burst of sound toward the end of the album.

Elsewhere the electronics blend nicely with the rhythm section in little clicks and smaller sounds designed for texture, such as in the jagged ‘Travel with You’ - a stand out with its overdubbed horns and haunting synths, it’s enhanced with shifts in rhythm and a careful but highly effective layering of instruments. In ‘Sweet Mental’ the tenor becomes especially distinctive, in part due to the contrasting instrumentation surrounding it (which is again, nice thinking from the band) but also due to the style of play, with a focus 'parts' rather than long solos.

While I’m not entirely sold on the vocal pieces with their reasonably minimalist instrumentation (neither are poor but rather just not as enjoyable as the other pieces) ‘Sweet Mental’ melds its seemingly disparate elements into a really cohesive and emotive whole that is memorable on first spin and reveals deeper textures the longer you play it.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cecil Taylor Unit : Live At Fat Tuesdays, February 9, 1980 First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
CECIL TAYLOR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Solo Bern 1984 - First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ANTHONY BRAXTON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Bruno Parrinha & Johannes von Buttlar : Whispers and Reveries Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Nuno Torres & Johannes von Buttlar : Cosmic Collision Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Carlos Bechegas, João Madeira & Monsieur Trinité : Free to Open Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 22 hours ago
“INFLUENCES” by Jared Hall, trumpeter & composer
JARED HALL
js· 22 hours ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 1 day ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 1 day ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed