Don't feel out of the loop if you're not aware of Exploding Star Orchestra; they're a relatively new group, despite a (really) long roster bursting with some of Chicago's bigger figures. Their first LP, last year's We Are All From Somewhere Else, was one wicked ride: two multi-segmented slabs of unpredictable and wild free-jazz stylings from what seemed to be the greater portion of Chicago's jazz-via-post-rock scene, manifesting a nervous but somehow loose and infectious vibe that's kept me coming back again and again through the last couple months. So, it's particularly disappointing to me that this same ensemble's sophomore LP with free-jazz luminary Bill Dixon (!!!) is a more monotonous affair.
Fully prepared to love the hell out of this album, I queued it up and got immediately lost in each musician's immaculate contributions weaving slowly together like some weird alien tapestry -- in the left and right channels, Jeb Bishop and Rob Mazurek toot away, shuffling their feet, teaming up with a few members of Tortoise on guitar (Jeff Parker, who also contributed to last year's brilliant From The River To The Ocean by Fred Anderson and Hamid Drake) and vibes (John McEntire, who's producing as well, naturally). It all moves at about the pace you'd imagine a supernova to expand seen from several hundred light years away -- changes are slow but steady, and while you might not notice the music shifting from moment to moment, within a minute or two, the band's morphed into an entirely different shape. Then, after a few minutes of warming up, a sound emerges from the gaps between all that furious meandering from each one of the dozen or so members of The ESO: Bill Dixon's highly distinguishable bleating bleeds into the foreground, as if providing commentary to the entire proceedings -- that he stands out as much as he does in the midst of all the chaos is indicative of both his utterly unique voice and John McEntire's serious production chops.
Sounds great, right? Trouble is, this description fits not just the first 18-minute track, "Entrances / One," but also its counterpart, the equally long "Entrances / Two" (which stands out from the first piece for having a blatant reference to the Godfather theme at about 11:40, but otherwise sounds similar in a non-engaging way), as well as the third and only other track, "Constellations For Innerlight Projections (For Bill Dixon)," sandwiched between the two. "Constellations" is clearly the album's centerpiece, idealistically as well as sequentially; it begins with a spoken-word intro by Damon Locks, who narrates this eventful musical collaboration as it happens in a hilariously stoned rambling monologue: "We only have the one, but when two or more merge, things can become stronger, powerful. The point of the triangle is far away, and is perhaps quiet. The projection outward from space builds into an intense energy of fire and light. The projection inward is even hotter, and elastic!" His voice builds, and suddenly there's a wild burst, as every musician in the room starts soloing: probably the standout moment of the album.
Which is a shame, as there ought to be more, considering the talent involved in the production of this LP. The Exploding Star Orchestra seem too content to sit back and be a backing band for the illustrious Mr. Dixon, which of course is totally futile, as there's just no way for this mammoth group to be subtle enough to play that role. Perhaps I just don't have the right ears to hear what's really going on here; there's some brilliant soloing, and a sense that all the musicians involved are pushing themselves and having a great time doing it. More likely, however, is that this album is another technically impressive but unfocused free-jazz LP that reaches for the stars but falls just short of the intended effect.
More about: Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra
