The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis

by James Brandon Lewis, The Messthetics

Overview

On their first two albums, the Messthetics sounded like an exciting, adventurous rock band who had one foot in experimental rock and avant-garde music, while the other gingerly dipped a toe into jazz. For their third LP, the group have solidified their jazz leanings in a big way. Guitarist Anthony Pirog, who has a background in free jazz, invited the respected jazz saxophonist James Brandon Lewis to sit in with the band at some live shows, and they took the collaboration into the studio, with 2024's The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis as a result. Initially, much was made of the Messthetics's punk rock pedigree, since bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty were best known for their work with Washington, D.C. heroes Fugazi, but that band was never a doctrinaire four-square punk outfit, and Pirog's experimentalism, sometimes graceful and sometimes frantic, was an excellent match for Lally and Canty's blend of muscle, precision, and musical adventure. With the addition of Lewis, while this music honestly sounds more like jazz, in many respects he simply expands on what this band was already doing, albeit in a positive and exciting way. Like a great jazz rhythm section, Lally and Canty at once lay down a solid rhythmic foundation and add color and texture to complement what the other players are doing, and Pirog and Lewis at once construct and confound melodies. Pirog's guitar work occasionally dives into no wave-inspired skronk, and Lewis similarly has no fear of occasionally abandoning tunefulness in the name of inspiration; on selections like "Boatly" and "The Time Is the Place," Lewis can shift from rich, post-bop leads into bracing sprints up and down the scale with joy, smarts, and an impressive technical skill. Does this music sound more like jazz mostly because there's a saxophone? Yes and no -- Lewis does guide the Messthetics into places they would not have been quite as likely to find on their own, and when he adds a languid mood, the music certainly sounds more introspective and less noisy than it might have otherwise. (It's also worth noting that the first two Messthetics albums were issued on Dischord, the D.C. punk label that brought out Fugazi's work, while this LP was released by the established jazz imprint Impulse Records.) The Messthetics's first two albums, however, proved beyond any doubt they had the talent and daring to take on whatever sounds they chose, and The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis reaffirms that, with Lewis giving them the opportunity to explore new avenues without losing a bit of what made their previous work special. Duke Ellington, who knew more than a little about jazz, once said, "If it sounds good and feels good, then it is good!" And by that standard, The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis is very good indeed, regardless of what genre you choose to describe it. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	03/15/2024
Label:	Impulse!
UPC:	0602458945898
Rank:	23344

Tracks

1. L' Orso
2. Emergence
3. That Thang
4. Three Sisters
5. Boatly
6. The Time Is The Place
7. Railroad Tracks Home
8. Asthenia
9. Fourth Wall

Album Credits

Performance Credits

James Brandon Lewis   Primary Artist,Saxophone
The Messthetics   Primary Artist
Anthony Pirog   Guitar
Brendan Canty   Drums
Joe Lally   Bass

Technical Credits

Femi Onafowokan   A&R
The Messthetics   Producer
Emerson Sudbury   A&R
Don Godwin   Recording,Mastering,Producer,Mixing,Mastering Engineer
James Brandon Lewis   Producer,Composer
Kris Chen   A&R
Rafaela Hernandez   Release Coordinator,Producer
Tai Linzie   Art Coordinator
Kyledidthis   Art Direction,Design
Anthony Pirog   Group Member,Composer
Brendan Canty   Group Member,Composer
Joe Lally   Group Member,Composer
David Willingham   Cover Photo
Charlie Pilzer   Mastering Engineer,Mastering
David Avidan   Sleeve Art