Colin Stetson plays the bass saxophone. I could leave the review right now and that would make Montreal-based saxophonist Colin Stetson sound like the coolest jazz musician out there right now. But I simply cannot because Stetson's music is unlike anything I've ever heard. It's sonic qualities are so organic and rich that Stetson almost sound inhuman. What could make this album sound any more awesome? I got it, it was all done in one take with no looping or overdubs using 24 strategically placed mics in a studio. Woah. New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges is truly a piece of avant-garde, improvisational art.
From the avant-garde/free improvisational jazz albums I've listened to (which is very little), New History Warfare is unlike anything. The only other jazz album I can recall that create such an emotional depth is Charles Mingus' brilliant The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. That album creates a depth of rich sound that is almost matched by Stetson's intricate saxophone squawks and terrifying long drones. New History Warfare could also be looked at as a Miles Davis record such as Kind of Blue; the way it was recorded was basically in very few takes and most of the music on King of Blue was all improvised during the session - exactly what Miles wanted. Stetson's music is all in one take showing minimal errors with sketched out ideas that get paved whenever the recorder is rolling, it's quite amazing.
Track titles like "From No Part of Me Could I Summon a Voice" and "The Righteous Wrath of an Honorable Man" are obvious indicators on how even just a look at the back of the CD or vinyl to check out the tracks could lead you into an impression on how epic Stetson's music is going to be. Incidentally, New History Warfare is purely epic, monstrous music with minimal qualities. The bass saxophone explains that, being mostly only one instrument on the tracks the minimal qualities are explained, but since the bass sax is so powerful and Stetson's talent towards creating monumental sounds and intricate manipulations creates the "monstrous" quality. "The Stars In His Head (Dark Light Remix)" is a good example; it ascends and descends rapidly in dynamics but continues the same instrumental movements of fast moving notes mixed in with long organic drones.
There is the inclusion of avant-garde musician and spoken word legend Laurie Anderson as well as the lead singer of indie group My Brightest Diamond, Shara Worden. I find these inclusions to be unnecessary and they even slightly take away from the full effect of the album. Shara Worden isn't that much of a bother, but I've never liked Laurie Anderson. Her voice never suited me very well with any type of music; she simply ruins some songs for me, especially "A Dream Of Water". Worden's inclusions is on the slow, bluesy "Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes", like I said her inclusions in this album isn't necessary, but it is a nice little contrast to the exhausting, fast-paced free improvisations of Stetson. I also praise her ability to freely sing in perfect harmony with just long drones of bass sax.
One of the more "easy" listening tracks is "Clothed In the Skin of the Dead" which has some great harmonies and not as much dissonance as the rest of the album, but will still take a special ear to really click in. Another really cool entry into New History Warfare is the bass heavy "Red Horse (Judges LI)"; surprisingly it has a really hopping beat to it. You must also be aware Colin Stetson isn't easy listening by any means. It's hard-hitting improvisational free jazz with a lot of foreign sounds to the brain. Not to say these "foreign sounds" are bad, to me their sounds that I've always wanted to hear and have a very abstract feel to them.
You aren't going to be listening to this in your car or have it as background music in your house, it's simply music to be observed and explore your true taste into music. Ninety percent of anyone who listens to Stetson will simply wave it off and call it "a bunch of crazy noises". What Stetson has is special, very special. His ability to create these organic, bizarre sounds takes a true musical genius with a true integrity of hard work to pass off the people looking for a true "jazz" sound with a simple harmony and consistent beat. That is what makes free improvisational jazz such a vast and transcending genre of music.
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