Bahr, Clint: Puzzlebox

Multi-instrumentalist Clint Bahr formed the New York based power trio TriPod in the early 2000s and released a self titled debut in 2003. So, it has indeed been a long time since we have heard from the artist. In March of 2022 Bahr released Puzzlebox on Moonjune Records. It is interesting to note TriPod was one of the first albums released on the label, so it only seems fitting that the relationship has continued.

Puzzlebox is a very diverse album, indicative of the many players adding their expertise and influence on the album’s twelve tracks. Peter Banks (RIP), David Jackson, Davis Cross, and Colin Carter, just to name a few. The music is a combination of composed and improvised tracks, highlighted by the completely improvised eleven minute “As Tympani Melt In The Greek Heat�, one of the more bizarre tracks I have heard all year. This one might be a little too free form for my tastes although it does demonstrate an artistic flair for complete chaos and improvisational weirdness.

The first track “Tabula Rasa 1� takes us to India with its exotic sounding sitar, courtesy of Dan Parkington, flutes from David Jackson, and Bahr’s tambura. The stringed instruments give a metallic sound, sometimes angular, sometimes softer and serene. “New Design� melds rock, prog, and fusion, very rhythmic, with starts and stops, heavy bass, interrupted by blasts of intense sounds. Eventually wild saxophone takes it into the avant-garde. Again, there is an Indian theme at play. “Plate� is an improvisational piece featuring tangential instrumentation where the trombone creates some truly bizarre sounds. “Shelter� is a cool mix of heavy bass rhythms and urgent drumming with a Beatles-like segue way into eclectic weirdness. Bahr’s endearing vocals makes this an excellent and strangely addictive rock tune. The growling bass and jerky rhythms in the punk rock meets prog “Fall From Grace�, and the tasty acoustic guitar in the melodic “Lifeguard In The Rain� are two more reasons to give this album a listen.

Interesting, innovative, and catchy, Puzzlebox will offer more than its fair share of exhilarating moments. For those reasons, it should be a part of any eclectic music collection.

The players:
Clint Bahr - basses and vocals (TriPod)
Peter Banks - guitar (Yes)
Colin Carter - vocals (Flash)
Marilyn Crispell - piano (Pharoah Sanders, Anthony Braxton)
David Cross - violins and viola (King Crimson)
Stephanie Feyne - dialogue (The Dotes)
Billy Ficca - drums (Television)
Dick Griffin - trombone (Sun Ra, Roland Kirk)
Mike Hough - drums (Flash)
David Jackson - woodwinds (Van der Graaf Generator)
Dan Parkington - sitar and violin (Andromeda)
Jeff Schiller - woodwinds (The Roots)

Track Listing:
1. Tabula Rasa 1 (2:23)
2. New Design (5:47)
3. Plate (7:52)
4. Shelter (3:59)
5. As Tympani Melt In The Greek Heat (10:48)
6. Fall From Grace (4:51)
7. Belt & Braces (1:11)
8. Triangles, Circles & Squares (2:13)
9. Oslo (1:10)
10. Kicking The Wasp’s Nest (3:11)
11. Lifeguard In The Rain (3:31)
12. Tabula Rasa 2 (2:40)

Added: February 12th 2023
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 426
Language: english

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