Spin Marvel 2 - 'The Reluctantly Politicised Mr James’

Edition Records – EDN1020
Release date June 28th 2010

MARTIN FRANCE – Drums,
NILS PETTER MOLVAER – Trumpet,
JOHN PARRICELLI – Guitar,
TIM HARRIES – Bass,
TERJE EVENSEN – Percussion / Sound-Audio Editor

Spin Marvel’s second album, 'The Reluctantly Politicised Mr James’, is a huge step forward for them as they enter into new areas of experimentation and add the trumpet of Nils Petter Molvaer to the original mix. The main idea, quite fantastic for a very well established drummer we might think, seems to have been to relocate the music from the orthodox matrix of rhythm into a much more breathable space where the gridlines have been erased, or perhaps in parts replaced by textural concepts. To this end Martin France’s drum kit is augmented by the addition of electronic pads set to release the effects of sampler-programs or to activate various loops. What had been rhythm, stemming from bass and drum, has become the music’s fundamental.

Martin France sees himself more as instigator of this project than as leader of the group, saying that the music ‘has passed through everyone’s hands so to speak, in some cases several times! We never discussed each development in great detail, but we each understood individually the direction in which we were moving with the music.’

These comments and the very structure of the band, as well as the musicians chosen, clarify the extent to which it is an improvisers’ group. The music is utterly eclectic and this in part comes from the musicians’ freedom to let it develop away from confining frameworks. It also allows room for an audience to allow the mind’s eye to wander. It is an extremely colourful, fresh and profound album of music for our 21st century; absolutely not a tabloid.

Reviewed by

ken cheetham
June 2010