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Product:
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Happy New Ears! - Atomic |
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| Description: |
How do you follow up the release of a universally acclaimed triple live
album? By releasing a CD filled to the brim with 65 minutes of amazing
new material. The combined talent of Fredrik Ljungkvist (saxophones,
clarinet), Magnus Broo (trumpet), Paal Nilssen-Love (drums), Ingebrigt
Håker Flaten (bass) and Håvard Wiik (piano) is just that: Atomic. The
scandinavian quintet don't waste their time or their talent on their
new release Happy New Ears! This comes hot on the heels of the three disks of The Bikini Tapes.
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During two session days in february and one in early november, the ten
brand new compositions on display here came to light, at Bugges
Room-studios in Oslo, Norway. Writing credits are shared between
Ljungkvist and Wiik, with Broo contributing the stellar piece "St
Lureplass". It ranks among their best work, period.
From the chewing tobacco mania of "Two Boxes Left"
(Ljungkvist) to the staggeringly beautiful weltschmerz of "Closing
Stages" (Wiik); Atomic here touches upon the very essence of their
music.
Atomic may have started out as a not-exactly quiet protest
against what was considered to be the scandinavian sound; the frosty
tundra bite of ECM lyricism. However, after their two studio albums
Feet Music (2002) and Boom Boom (2003), Atomic quickly came to
epitomize a scandinavian sound all of their own. Much has been said
about their blend of the explosive american free jazz tradition, and
the more complex european stylings.
This new album put them firmly in the Atomic tradition. The
sibling rivalry of the swedish horn section, the all over the place
percussive beingthereness of Nilssen-Love, the long distance runs of
Håker Flaten, and the mighty, magic fingertips of Wiik: part academic
lecture, part fun night out. And this might be a factor in the Atomic
appeal: without compromising the music at all, they have managed to
bring it outside of an esoteric circle of musical know-how, and into a
larger circle of wanna-know-hows.
After powerful, spirited gigs throughout Europe, USA, and
Japan, they have gained an evergrowing following of fans. If we are to
judge from the music presented on Happy New Ears!, it will not exactly
take rocket science to predict that the future is ear-shaped.
Fredrik Ljungkvist - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Magnus Broo - Trumpet
Håvard Wiik - Piano
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - Bass
Paal Nilssen-Love - Drums
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