The outlier jazz world is full of genius freaks capable of playing anything that’s ever been done but preferring to invent music that’s never been done. Even among the guitarists in this crowd, the dauntless Brandon Seabrook manages to stand out, especially since he also happens to be a virtuosic banjoist, too.
Object of Unknown Function (Pyroclastic Records) presents Seabrook in both roles, sometimes at once, showcasing his as quirky, genre-less composing style, too. This isn’t Seabrook’s first rodeo when it comes to solo banjo/guitar records; the first record solely under his name rolled like that, too. Object of Unknown Function could even be considered a continuation of Sylphid Vitalizers from ten years earlier.
Other banjo apostates like Eugene Chadbourne or Bela Fleck (let’s also toss Wendy Eisenberg into the mix) happen to be some of the most original musicians in the world, and Seabrook proudly belongs in that club. As a great fingerpicker, he carries over that trait to guitar and also brings to bear another talent, leveraging technology. With various electronic effects and tapes and that fertile mind, Object of Unknown Function was never going to be your run-of-the-mill banjo/guitar record any more than his first one was.
The banjo jaunt “Object of Unknown Function” rumbles on pleasantly for over three minutes when alien electro effects rendered by tapes briefly but jarringly intercede, then again. And again. It gets even more bizarre when tapes are supplemented by layers of bowed banjos. More than any other musicians who picks (or scrapes) strings, Seabrook forcefully shoves listeners out of their comfort zone.
Using 4 guitars and 9 banjos overdubbed on each other, Seabrook creatively creates a dark, symphonic mass for “Melodic Incidents For An Irrational World,” a mesmerizing drone destabilized by start/stop action.
At this point of the track sequence, Seabrook playing solely an unaffected guitar banjo for “Unbalanced Love Portfolio” is itself weird, because it’s hillbilly minus the quirks. “Phenomenal Doggerel” sports the same spare format but is all quirks and no hillbilly. “Perverted By Perseverance” is just his battered Telecaster, but run through the ringer of tape manipulation. Despite that, his exceptional fingerpicking skills still shine through.
The number of banjos and guitars folded into the making of “The Historical Importance of Eccentricity” is staggering, but Seabrook is discreet in picking his spots to fully deploy that kind of arsenal. It shimmers and sparkles but doesn’t overwhelm, and as elsewhere, the relentless strumming fills in neatly for the missing percussive instruments. For “Gondola Freak,” guitars are stacked up from one to five axes and combinations in between as Seabrook wrings interesting variations in the sonic makeup just from the changes in layering.
With all of the sound coming from a single, 12-string electric guitar, both “Gawk Fodder” and “Some Recanted Evening” are straightforward display of chops, so wide ranging, unpredictable and bristling with originality.
But taking originality to the extremes has always been how Brandon Seabrook approaches his music. When he does that all on his own as he did with Object of Unknown Function, there’s even more of his uniqueness to ponder, appreciate and — yes — enjoy.
Pick up Object of Unknown Function from Bandcamp.
*** Brandon Seabrook CD’s and vinyl on Amazon ***
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