Search - Geoff Farina, Luther Gray, Dan Littleton :: New Salt

Inevitable

Troy Collins | Lancaster, PA United States | 11/28/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"New Salt is the self titled debut of an indie jazz supergroup of sorts. Jazz drummer Luther Gray (Rob Brown, Joe Morris) initially teamed up with indie rock guitarists Dan Littleton (Ida, Tara Jane O'Neil) and Geoff Farina (Karate, Secret Stars) to play live soundtracks to three silent films: "Film" (Samuel Beckett, 1965), "Emak Bakia" (Man Ray, 1927), and "Un Chat D'amour" (Jean Genet, 1950) during a recent festival tour. This working relationship has led to the formation of one of the indie underground's most intriguing new jazz ensembles.



Farina, the most recognizable name here, has been drifting closer to jazz and away from indie rock the past few years, making this release seem inevitable. Entirely instrumental, each guitarist provides harmonic support and textured beds for the other to improvise over as Gray modulates the endlessly variable rhythm. Veering from ambient, post-rock cool to spastic, space rock excess, the trio has a strong and distinctive sound. Each member contributes as a writer, with Littleton's pieces more languorous and ethereal, Farina's more angular and obtuse and Gray's the most structurally experimental. The album highlight is a stunningly short, dramatic reading of Charlie Haden's "Song For Che." The title track, penned by Farina, is the album's conceptual center and is a tour de force of improvisational wit. The album begins to lag towards its conclusion, with one too many ambient drone pieces (hence the 3 vs. 4 star rating), but overall this is a welcome release and a natural progression for Farina and company."