| Author | Message | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 1717 Registered: 10-2003 |
My younger brother and his wife turned me on to The Bad Plus last night. Their rendition of Comfortably Numb makes my brain melt in all the right ways... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar30KyQFnIc John | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 882 Registered: 8-2005 |
Superb!! But..........reveal all.......what bass and strings were used in this??? Sounds just so beautifully "upright" George | ||
| darkstar01
Intermediate Member Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 165 Registered: 6-2005 |
I've said it on here before, The Bad Plus are the best band on the scene right now, and have been for several years. The new record with Wendy Lewis isn't really my favorite, but it's still great. If you ever get the chance to see them, do it. Some of the best shows I've ever seen are Bad Plus shows. I'm not sure what Reid (the bass player) uses now, because he was changing his rig a lot for a while... but it's definitely all upright. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8376 Registered: 5-2002 |
This was pretty interesting until the last sung verse, then it got very interesting! I was reading through some other threads while the tune was playing, until it got to that verse; then I was listening. That was interesting! | ||
| rraymond
Advanced Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 366 Registered: 6-2002 |
Dang! | ||
| lembic76450
Intermediate Member Username: lembic76450 Post Number: 162 Registered: 5-2002 |
I can't believe that they sang through that. Pretty intense. | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 1718 Registered: 10-2003 |
It's as though the sea is rolling beneath the distant ship on the horizon, at least in my mind... John | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8382 Registered: 5-2002 |
I found the piano part to be very "interpretive". Listening to all the parts together through that section, it seems to me that when all the parts are considered together, it works. The drummer somehow ties the piano and the bass together, and the vocal lines on top of it all hold everything in place, while the bass provides just enough of a familiar ground to hold on to for the vocals not to get blown away altogether. And of course everything preceding that section sets up it all up and makes it possible. | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 1719 Registered: 10-2003 |
Not knowing much of music theory, it seems that the pianist builds an exceptionally fat chordal structure then removes the foundation. All that's left is *wrong* yet so very right. Does that make sense? John | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8384 Registered: 5-2002 |
John, it's beyond my level of knowledge as well. But I think what's happening is perhaps some form of serialism where he takes a repeating string of notes and moves the starting point of the string chromatically. The right hand string is a descending pattern and the starting point of each string descends chromatically, while in the left hand are some ascending chromatic figures. Another interesting thing is that the patterns are not consistent rhythmically; he speeds up and slows down the patterns for an ephemeral effect like the reflection of the moon on choppy water. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8385 Registered: 5-2002 |
Another interesting note; the bass player is singing the harmony vocal. | ||
| basicvoo
New Username: basicvoo Post Number: 7 Registered: 7-2009 |
One of my faves! I first saw these guys after reading a review... "If bad still means good, then these guys are absolutely miserable". I think I am pre-disposed to the bass/drums/piano combo, having grown up on Charlie Brown cartoons.(Vince Guaraldi Trio) Serialism? Hmmmm.... Their stuff does kill me  | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 1720 Registered: 10-2003 |
For me, the rhythmic inconsistencies force listening to it emotionally rather than academically. I can't keep track of what's happening, so I just let it in (for lack of a better term) without trying to understand what I'm hearing. Brilliant. | ||
| hydrargyrum
Senior Member Username: hydrargyrum Post Number: 622 Registered: 3-2004 |
I don't know, I was loving it, until the last verse. It just seemed to be too random for my ears. I suppose I appreciate it more on the academic level (now that Dave has explained what is happening), but on an emotional level it sounds forced to me. I will certainly be looking at their other songs, and I am very intrigued by their arrangements. I guess I am still inclined to more of a punk sentiment. If that can be said for pink floyd, or jazz. | ||
| peoplechipper
Intermediate Member Username: peoplechipper Post Number: 126 Registered: 2-2009 |
I liked comfortably numb, but I found thier take on Lithium to be too stretched, trying to make the song fit their repetoir too much? cool try, though....Tony | ||
| slawie
Member Username: slawie Post Number: 93 Registered: 8-2002 |
I played the you tube bit to my nephew, a bass player also. He was blown away just as I was! slawie |
