Powerhouse

Powerhouse Sound Oslo/Chicago Breaks (2007)

Oslo:
Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (Electric Bass)
Lasse Marhaug (Electronics)
Nate McBride (Electric Bass)
Paal Nilssen-Love (Drums)
Ken Vandermark (Tenor Sax)

Chicago
John Herndon (Drums)
Nate McBride (Electric Bass)
Jeff Parker (Guitar)
Ken Vandermark (Tenor Sax)

This double album features two Powerhouse Sound lineups lead by saxophonist Ken Vandermark. The first disc features a band based out of Oslo. The instrumentation for the first album is not typical, two electric basses, electronics, drums, and tenor sax. Whenever electronics are part of the instrumentation the listener has to expect noise, and this group delivers it on the first track “Shocklee.” As a whole I would call the sound atonal free fusion. On tunes like “2-1-75” the whole band will play all out to a consistent break beat, and then have a noise interlude while the drummer keeps a beat and throws in random accents, but then go back into the funk with noise blaring full force. Throughout the whole album Vandermark not only displays his compositional ability, but also his chops. He plays fast runs, complicated rhythms, and also some of the most out noises one can make with a sax. One trend that the group incorporates is having a repeating baseline in the background of free rants by the other players, it happens in multiple tracks like “Acid Scratch” and “ALP177,” I always tend to find these parts interesting. One track that I find intriguing is “New Dirt” which is apparently for the Stooges, and I assume named after the Stooges song “Dirt.” The song is definitely the heaviest on the Oslo disc, so perhaps Vandermark cannot deny the pre-punk drive the Stooges did as an influence. The Stooges definitely use the heavy baseline that Vandermark likes using.

In the second disk there is one immediately noticeable difference, Jeff Parker is a monster. The only track that is different from anything on the first disc is the opener “Old Dictionary” where Parker starts out making a variety of odd dissonant tones on his guitar. And also provides almost nonsensical rhythm guitar over Vandermark’s solo. Another thing that Parker brings is distortion, making the second disc heavier with the occasional metal riffs. Even though many of the tunes are repeated from the first disc, one can definitely tell that this is not the same group playing. Overall this double album is innovative, energetic, and most of all fun.

Points of Interest

Jeff Parker and John Herndon are members of Chicago post-rock band Tortoise

The Chicago version of Powerhouse Sound played at the 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival