The last time Toronto’s collection of super sessionists The Worst Pop Band Ever was talked about in the space was nearly six years ago to this day. Having skipped over the live Sometimes Things Go Wrong, we’re checking back in with the third album Blackout.
Come to find out, TWPBE hadn’t changed much at all, a relief since they were fine just the way they were. A combo led by its drummer Tim Shia, it sports a couple of keyboardists (Adrean Farrugia, Dafydd Hughes), a saxophonist (Chris Gale), a bassist (Drew Birston) and a turntable jockey (LEO37), with two of them — Gale and Farrugia, Juno award winners. The music remains as I described it back in 2010, “combining pop voicings with improvised performances” and “strik(ing) a good balance between accessible and creative …one that should be checked out by anyone looking for bands like MMW or The Bad Plus.”
Though not as overtly funky as Medeski, Martin & Wood or as acoustically inclined as the Bad Plus, TWPBE finds its niche in meting out Wurlitzer-grounded grooves like the steady struttin’ introductory track “Inor Man,” or Gospell” which walk the line between catchy, almost pop melodies and loose, egalitarian improv. They are able the shift strategies on each song without losing any identity, too. From “Inor Man,” there’s the faux-reggae “Peachy Keen,” the multiple rhythms propelling the rockin’ “Panic,” or the dark, piano-based strain of “Scene Two aka Not So Fun Anymore.” There aren’t any vocals this time around, but Gale’s got a big, soul-laden tone that often serves as the band’s lead voice, and serves it well.
Their secret weapon remains turntablist LEO37, the rare bird who uses the turntables in the service for something other than hip-hop, and rather creatively so. His swirls add a touch of analog synth-y oddity that provides a little edge on tracks such as “One Sausage Too Many”, “All That’s Left” and “Stave.”
In sum, the appeal with Blackout remains the same as it was with 2009’s Dost Thou Believeth In Science?: quirky titles but no-nonsense organic grooves usually topped off by a revolving cast of proficient soloists who know how far to take it before they run out of steam. And they do it with a touch of wit. The Worst Pop Band Ever has a hand-made, unforced approach that makes rock-jazz uncommonly relaxing, and Blackout keeps that relaxed vibe going.
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