TRENDS AND OTHER DISEASES

Mats-Morgan (Band)

Jazz Rock/Fusion

4.20 | 21 ratings

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Tapfret
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin

Another reason to thank Zappa.

Swedish born Mats �berg and Morgan Agren have been playing together since childhood. Mats, blind since birth, is a keyboard player/vocalist who invokes Zappa-esque writing with a sound not completely unlike Stevie Wonder. Morgan plays an assault of technically proficient and tasteful percussion. The duo was recruited by Frank Zappa during the final years of his life and can be heard on Zappa's Universe with a plethora of other FZ collaborators.

Mats/Morgan's debut Trends and Other Diseases is much like other Mats/Morgan work in that it is not intended as a straight forward tribute to FZ, but shares his style of odd arrangements, pop sensibilities with periodic forray's into unorthadox sounds, and is presented with a large array of guest musicians that reminds one of FZ's eclectic recruitment policies. The album begins with an unexpected grind out from fellow Swede, Mesuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal (a collaboration shared on Thordendal's Special Defects). The sound is in stark contrast to the more keyboard oriented sound of most of the remaining album. Much of what springs forth from Mats/Morgan's sound reminds the listener that thought provoking/technical writing and pop-oriented sounds are not mutually exclusive. Throughout the album Mats augments his already intriguing vocal style with various effects, pitchshifts and loop reversals. He also plays a mean harmonica. Morgan provides equally adept straight forward beats and jerky poly's to the mix with attention to song dynamics so often missing from rock drummers. His technical skill reminds one of Bruford while showing no fear hammering his skins with the unrelenting power of the most bombastic metal drummers.

Trends and Other Diseases is an absolute must for any fan of Zappa style music and highest recommendation for inclusion in any Progressive collection. 5 stars.

Tapfret | 5/5 | 2007-11-1

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