Dig It To The End (ACT Music; 2011)
Dan Berglund (bass)
Johan Lindstrom (guitars)
Andereas Werliin (drums)
Martin Hederos (piano)
Riveting and re-imagining everything on both the jazz and rock front, Tonbruket return very quickly with their second record, Dig It To The End (ACT Music). And it is truly an outstanding second effort.
Former E.S.T. bassist, Dan Berglund's new group feels like a hybrid of the former and the chaos of King Crimson. But in contrast, Tonbruket manage to incorporate folkish grooves in between the fierce patterns they lay forward as a base of exploration.
Berglund appears to have let the dragons out on Dig It To The End. Mixing it up splendidly with the opening number, "Vinegar Heart," which soars from the pounding pace of the trio, Hederos, Berglund and Werliin and swamped by the frenzied chords of Lindstrom adds to the ethos that this not jazz--nor is it rock. This is a piece has multiple parts and moves in different sections all very quickly. Brilliant.
"Lilo" is a gentle number that feels like a lullaby. The effects of Lindstrom's pedal steel guitar and Werliin brushes provide an bit of the Americana genre to this piece. It's delightful and beautiful melody floats along and stays with you long after the piece is completed.
"Dig It To The End" features like horses pounding along a cobblestone street at night. It's a dark sinister piece that could slide nicely into a Nick Cave album. The crazy organ lines plied by Hederos are hilarious and haunting at the same time.
"Le Var" with it's Spanish tinge is twisted through an psychedelic lens that is both hypnotic and intriguing. Thematic and infectious with a two-step nature which folds nicely into the backbeat of "Trackpounder". "Trackpounder" shows the group in more of a rockin' mood and riffing freely. It's got all sorts of grooves that could be reminiscent of the best Spy Jazz themes of the '60s.
Dig It To The End feels a bit more diverse than the quartet's debut. With a expansive passages and themes that have a foothold in multiple genres. Tonbruket's mastery of this makes Dig It To The End highly enjoyable and adventurous at every turn.
Tonbruket is a group of various ideas and backgrounds and they have created a real standout in any musical genre this year. They will have you wondering whether this is jazz or rock or what. But then again...does it matter? Highly Recommended.