Album by Marc Ribot

This is a pretty experimental, sometimes avant-garde album built around Marc Ribot’s guitar, and it really does feel like it’s moving through a bunch of different ideas and influences without settling in one place for long.

There’s rhythmic playing, bursts of noise, scratches, screeches — moments where everything feels like it’s coming together, and then others where it just breaks apart completely.

“Shortly After Takeoff” has that stop-and-start feel, like the guitar and bass are building toward something before a sax cuts in and throws everything off balance. “Friendly Ghosts” feels like it’s tumbling forward the whole time, never quite finding its footing.

“The Cocktail Party” is probably the closest thing to a groove, at least for a moment. “Break Lunch Manifesto” was my favorite — there’s a bluesy thread running through it that gives it something to grab onto. And “Have a Nice Day” just explodes.

There are also some wild interpretations mixed in here. “The Wind Cried Mary,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and “Mood Indigo” all show up, but not in any kind of traditional way. They’re twisted into something else entirely.

This is the kind of album that zigzags all over the place. Sometimes it locks in, sometimes it feels like it’s intentionally avoiding that.

If you like music that experiments and doesn’t always resolve, there’s a lot to dig into here.

Verdict: Worth a Spin

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