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Woodenhead: Perseverance
Woodenhead makes a mix of instrumental prog-rock and jam music. That was my first impression after giving Perseverance a few cursory spins. This observation may lead some to imagine a band that realizes the most severe criticisms of both prog and jam music: not only is it self-indulgent and excessive, but it meanders all over the place without making a point. But no, thats not the case here. Conversely, I think that Perseverance has demonstrated Woodenheads capability to embody the best aspects of prog-rock and jam music: its fun and playful, it has groove, it rocks out, and the musicians have chops. Most of the time, that is. Truthfully, the song Dance #2 gives me a headache (or at least sounds like it would if I were in the wrong kind of mood). This song is placed directly after Ayo Aise, which is a kind of peaceful sounding song. Then, Dance #2 comes on and blasts you with horns. The blasting horns were doubly surprising since they dont appear at all in the first half of the album, yet they are there to stay in the second half. Whatever theres nothing wrong with big horns (many people love them), and it does lend more of a jazz feel to the album. My only other complaint is that some of the guitar riffs (Drop Dead and Chef of the Future compared to Big G) sound too similar to each other, which, well is that even a complaint? Even if similar, they are all cool riffs! In any case, I dont want the few negatives that I heard to detract from the positives. I think that Perseverance is a good album. Take the opener Big G, for example: the guitar riff is super cool and the musicianship is very tight. This is a great example of instrumental music that doesnt have to be bombastic to make a point. Its a great song that, clocking in at under five minutes, doesnt overstay its welcome. Similarly, the fourth track, Little Blue, features a cool middle-eastern sounding guitar/drum part and a xylophone effect in the background that fits well. Even when Perseverance is not catching your attention, it is usually still enjoyable. At its worst, Perseverance just fades to the background, and you dont really think about it (except when the horns come in). My conclusion is that for those who like rockin jam music and also appreciate jazz, Woodenhead offers a perfect dose of instrumental rock that is thoughtfully crafted and impressively played.
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