ALTERED STATES — 4 (review)

ALTERED STATES — 4 album cover Live album · 1995 · Jazz Related Improv/Composition Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
SaltyJon
This album was my first purchased release by Altered States. It's a great, 50+ minute long session of nothing but improvised rock by this amazing trio. A lot of the music doesn't even sound like improvisation to me, the band members are really good together. The album is three tracks, two of which pass the 20 minute mark and one of which is just under 6. The longer tracks see the band stretching out a bit more and showing off their skills, and the shorter track is a bit more focused around some shorter themes and quirkiness. The group mixes jazzy tendencies and rock together incredibly well on this album, maybe not as much as on some other recordings, but regardless they sound comfortable playing this sort of music, like they're enjoying themselves as well.

Of the five albums I've heard so far from the group, this one is likely my second favorite - Bluffs is a far more impressive (and lengthy) show of what they can do while improvising. I'd recommend this album (and group) to fans of avant-rock and/or avant-jazz, could be a good entry point for newcomers to jazz already familiar with Japanese avant-garde music. Four stars for this one.
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