Last month, Bird Lite dropped their debut EP, It’s a Thing. Really, it’s a thing. Take everything that you know and love about indie rock and sprinkle a few specs of sophisticated jazz style and there you have it. Local Boston musicians Jan Esbra on guitar, Willis Edmundson on drums, and Artie Sadtler on bass are the masterminds behind the project. Another Boston jazz group led by Bird Lite’s own Jan Esbra, Jade Collective, has some recognizable parallels. Although, this project is a dirtier and more collaborative extension of such, and definitely is its own monster.
With many records that are mostly improvised, the quota is pretty much set for what you’re going to expect. The experience of listening to i provsed music yields the possibility of sounding less like composing a coherent piece of music, and more like a run on sentence in an academic essay. What should be occurring (and what does occur, in this case,) is a healthy unison of the world outside of the improviser’s mind, and well, the inner workings of said improviser’s mind.
The synergy between the trio is top-drawer. You can almost see the energy dancing before your eyes while you’re listening – an account of musical telepathy. The polarity between “Parrot Fever” and “People are Combustible” illustrates the wide spectrum that the trio scatters themselves upon, both dynamically and technically. Slow building and refined, yet dark with tasteful effects to satisfy anyone’s angsty appetite.
Much of the record’s driving force owes credit to the bass, but Esbra’s tenacious guitar performance, addictive hooks, and Edmundson’s shamelessness carry no apologies. No one person is an exception to what they are capable of bringing to the table. This is definitely a win for jam band enthusiasts and experimentalists. It gets better as it progresses, with smart surprises and complexities luring their way in every now and then. Bird Lite toys with the grounds of minimalism without becoming overly repetitive, resulting in a record that melts into an unpretentious and glowing delight.
Take a listen and stay on the lookout for upcoming shows and releases!
