SONGBIRD MATHEMATICS: LISTEN TO SEDUCTIVE SPRIGS.

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Seductive Sprigs formed in early 1996,while both playing guitar in the avant-noise-jazz troupe known as Zs.Their love for harmonizing both vocally and guitar based,as well as their years of musical training under their belt seemed to make it almost TOO easy for their own creative outlet to transpire.The Sprigs only played a small handful of shows in their time,and recorded a short cd-r on the Sockets label with a super limited pressing.I've always considered them a charming little secret because of this.Something you tuck away and only share with the 1 or 2 other obsessive nerds you know.This duo was almost impossible to pin,never truly wearing a single influence on their sleeves,it's quite obvious that they were into "doing their own thing".They've been tagged with everything from Baroque-Prog-Pop to Post-Flamenco-Jazz Troupe...but the only way to really grasp what this duo is reaching for,is to listen to their music first hand.Enjoy.

Not unlike some earlier Zs guitar technics,they utilize their precise licks and chops as tools to mock the clever vocal harmonies and tuneful sing-song styling they've adopted.It's rare to hear a sour note in their music,unless of course it is blatantly written that way.The guitars weave in and out of the vocal interplay with ease,and nothing ever seems to be repeated.They must know every scale in the book,and then some.Total perfection on all fronts,without being overly pretentious or cocky.Lyrically,their themes are dark and humorous,but never corny or contrived.They speak of bad friends and being a terrified kid.It's relative.How often can you relate to something both challenging and borderline exhausting?Seductive Sprigs were so fresh and unique,that it pains me to know there won't be any of that amazing anticipation you feel,when you hear of a new release on the horizon.Charlie and Matt left Zs (who's new killer 'New Slaves' just dropped) a few years back,but they stay pretty busy these days.Charlie Looker is the brain behind Extra Life(their 2nd LP- 'Made Flesh' just came out) full time,as well as other projects like Sculptress(with Chuck Stern of Time Of Orchids),Period(with Mike Pride,etc),and a ton of personal compositions and studio works.Matt Hough is also doing lots of solo works,and plays guitar in Wet Ink Ensemble full time.Killer group.All of these acts are worth checking into ASAP.Click the title at the top head over to the band's myspace..You can hear some tunes there.Enjoy!

Zs - "New Slaves" 2xLP/CD (Social Registry)

Finally.The always shape shifting Brooklyn jazz-attack known as Zs has finally released their 3rd proper full-length.It's called New Slaves,and it's a KILLER record on all fronts.If you've been following their work as closely as I have for the last 6-7 years,you will know that they are notorious for their random lineup changes,genre bending skill,and ability to do just about anything they want to.Ever since The Hard EP,they have taken a certain path,one that just continues to soak itself in treble and distortion and continually reinvent itself.Such is the case for the majority of New Slaves.This is a harsh and intelligent,post-everything attack on the senses.

The title track is a 20+ minute workout of dynamic and harmonic free-anything bliss.It's precise and loose at the same time,and rarely repeats itself.Amazing riffage coupled with Hilmer's squeaky sax assault and those drums!Aye,I never want this to end.Some of the tracks are blatant segues to setup the next epic.Frantic drum and feedback workouts that wash into low-end rumbles."Acres of Skin" is a thudding piece full of counterpoint hand claps,and some killer bent-guitar string fuckery.Total metallic interplay.The last 60 seconds are mind melting to say the least.The last 3 tracks on the album are "personal pieces",in which each member of the band is doing their own thing entirely.There are some really beautiful moments throughout these.Most lean toward the more subtle,ambient side of the band,and rely on the silent parts more than music itself.Overall,this is surely their most impressive and personal work for me.Hypnotizing to say the very least.This will be in my player for quite some time.Apologies to my neighbors in advance.Thank you for Zs.

Zs - "Acres of Skin" : live from a backyard in Austin,TX.

ZS from TERROREYES.TV on Vimeo.

Brooklyn's avant-jazz-noise-free thinkers,Zs performing "Acres of Skin".The song will be on their upcoming full length "New Slaves" out May 11,via The Social Registry.With some fairly recent lineup changes,Zs now brings us their harsh noisy skronk attack in the form of a 3 piece(guitar,sax,drums).With an additional guitar,and minimal synths/electronics for the stage setting.They have dazzled listeners with their awesome free jazz-prog-chamber-noise epics for over 6 years now,and with each release they show us a completely different vision.No two records are alike.Since "The Hard e.p." they seem to be working toward a more metallic,loosely calculated,and guitar heavy sound than the wild jazz styles they are so well known for.Ditching the sheet music altogether,and working with a very minimal,stripped down arrangement.Their music is precise and razor sharp,robotic and organic at the same time.Have you ever tasted the tip of a battery?Enjoy.

LITTLE WOMEN - Teeth LP (Sockets)

Little Women are making some of the most dangerous and confrontational avant-jazz music out there right now.Teeth is a blown out,mind-melting treble attack from the start.The brass instruments are loose and layered,and yet played with intense precision."Teeth" teeters on a fine line between arrangement and anarchy,all the way to the end.Heavy on the free-jazz tip,stacked atop a pile of frantic drum blasts and angular guitar shred.It reminds me of the newer Zs(whom they share members with)recordings,but with more of a raw,brash tone.The hissy production value is mostly high end,barely ever reaching the low end of the spectrum.For Little Women,this is a good thing indeed.4 tracks of controlled chaos.Can't wait to see where they go next.Highly recommended!!

WATCH Zs PERFORM SONGS FROM THEIR UPCOMING FULL LENGTH

The new full length,"New Slaves" will be out this spring via-The Social Registry.You should pick up their latest 12", Music Of The Modern White if you haven't already.It's awesome,and it will give you some insight on where they might be headed with this new lineup.My guess is EVERYWHERE.There are some killer remix 12"s out now,too.Do it to it.


New Slaves [part 1]



New Slaves [part 2]



Acres of Skin

----->BIG up to unARTig for the footage!<-----

Zs - "Music Of The Modern White" LP (The Social Registry)

There is so much music being made in so many various forms these days,that I find it hard to actually pay and real attention to a single group or musician for too long.I generally give it a few spins,and not too long after,discs will just end up in a pile somewhere in the backseat of my car or on the floor of my room.Zs are one of the only entities that hold my attention to no end,as of late.I can't say enough good things about these dudes.So I will just stick to telling you what their latest LP sounds like.

Music Of The Modern White is 23 minutes and 7 second hayride into loud,blistering,heavy,and well calculated avant-free-jazz-noise.Whatever you want to call this beast,it's fucking powerful and precise.Taking a step away from the sharp,clean,prog-jazz epics of the amazing Arms album, M.M.W. takes us into a much darker and more violent territory than you might expect from the trio.It's a full-blown treble attack,also adding a touch of gain in the right places..which is pretty much EVERYWHERE.And this seems to work really well here.

If you listen to this all the way through,you will notice there is a general cohesiveness not heard on other Zs recordings,like the songs have a nice way of fading into and out of each other.Not unlike the Hard e.p.,these songs are less polished and catchy than past releases.Yet they still retain all of the complicated chops and precision that we have come to adore these guys for.By the third track,you have already been over so many bumps,twists and turns that you forget exactly where you started from.

Music Of The Modern White is for the most part a blown out,spattering leap into percussive experimentation.But listen close,and you will find that Zs still know how to take it down a notch(or 10)when they want to.Incredible release.