There never seems to be any shortage of Smalltown Superjazzz projects involving Mats Gustafsson, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and Paal Nilssen-Love, but The Thing finds the trio reunited under their most famous and acclaimed billing, this time under the supervision of Steve Albini - a producer who in the past has declared an antipathy for jazz. Presumably these three Scandinavian musicians were able to change Albini's mind; there's certainly a case to be made for The Thing being considered as quite different from anything within conventional jazz circles. Notoriously, the trio crossed over into alt. rock circles with their covers album, featuring adventurous revisions of tracks by The Sonics, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The White Stripes. Although Bag It! itself draws on covers, the artists being cited here are more recognisably jazz-related: Duke Ellington's 'Mystery Song' is given an airing, and Albert Ayler's 'Angels' is beautifully rendered, while there are only a couple of all-out rock moments on the album (54 Nude Honeys' 'Drop The Gun' and The Ex/Muzsikas' 'Hidegen Fujnak A Szelek'). Albini's precise, unfussy, uncluttered production style suits these three musicians perfectly, and Bag It! is as crisp a rendering of their virtuosity as you could encounter. As a bonus, this album comes with a second disc, 'Beef Brisket', a thirty-minute improvisational piece also recorded by Albini. Ace.
01 Hidegen Fujnak A Szelek
02 Drop the Gun
03 Bag It!
04 Snuvisan
05 Hot Doug
06 Mystery Song
07 Angels
08 Beef Brisket (For Ruby's)
Personnel:
Mats Gustafsson: saxes
Ingebrigt Haker Flaten: bass
Paal Nilssen-Love: drums
