HOOFFOOT

It's interesting to read the bio of HOOFFOOT as the band's leader Par Hallgren discusses how late in life he discovered RPI, Krautrock and seventies Jazz. Out of that he lists IL BALETTO DI BRONZO's "YS" album as being life changing. I like this guy. As a result he and a couple of musicians met pretty much weekly until eventually there was a band doing live gigs and then this, their first studio album. By the way this is a six piece band plus we get a guest sax player and a trumpet player. Par is probably most known for being in ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE but he was also in THE CARPET KNIGHTS, two amazing bands right there. The lead guitarist also played in both of those bands. We get a rhythm guitarist who plays for AGUSA and then two keyboardists. Ola also from ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE plays synths, and the other keyboardist plays clavinet and Fender Rhodes. We get two long suites giving us just under 35 minutes of music.

"Last Flight Of The Ratite" is the 18 1/2 minute opener. Horns standout in the intro along with guitar before ending with organ as it turns calm and very jazzy. Great sound here. Love the Fender Rhodes and the horn playing over top. It starts to turn nasty before 3 1/2 minutes and I wish there was more of this with the evil organ sounds and upfront guitar after 5 minutes. A change before 7 1/2 minutes as clavinet takes over as the bass and drums do the ground-work. A horn joins in as well. It's intense 9 minutes in then it calms right down quickly. I like the bass and percussion here. Check out the guitar starting before 11 minutes as he lights it up. A calm after 12 minutes as we get a jazzy section with atmosphere, percussion, bass and Fender Rhodes. So good! Some deep fuzzed out sounds before 15 minutes as it continues to be laid back. I'm not into the change beginning before 17 minutes to the end. Horns blast away to end it.

"Five Seven Six Eight...And Nine" opens with percussion as intricate sounds join in including flute-like sounds then a horn. It picks up 2 minutes in then it becomes catchy before 3 minutes but I'm not into this. And "this" will be repeated at various times in this suite. The guitar starts to lead and now I'm impressed. Back to that catchy passage then we get a calm with atmosphere and flute-like sounds before 6 minutes. Back to that catchy theme before 9 minutes then another change as it picks up bringing ELEPHANT9 to mind with the incredible Fender Rhodes and drum work. Another change before 11 1/2 minutes as we get these intricate sounds but then it turns fuller a minute later. There's that catchy section again before 15 minutes to the end.

I want to rate this higher but those catchy moments that are repeated on the second track along with the way the first track ends is holding me back. A matter of taste I suppose but you guys have to hear this one.