LET THE BASS KICK

January 21, 2017 9:38 AM

Squarepusher - one of the most important figures in braindance/IDM/whatever - is set to release a new album with his live band Shobaleader One which features full band versions of classic Squarepusher tracks. They've been playing these tracks at live shows recently and the results are impressive:

Coopers World
Squarepusher's Theme
A Journey to Reedham
Full live set (see the first comment on that video for links to individual songs)

[Squarepusher previously: Stor Eiglass video, Solo Electric Bass, Squarepusher x Z Machines, Squarepusher vs music critics]

posted by Frobenius Twist (19 comments total)

A Journey to Reedham is maybe my favorite song of all time and it blows my mind to see it played note-for-note live, including live drill'n'bass drumming (!!!).
posted by Frobenius Twist at 9:40 AM on January 21, 2017

Oh yes. I want this very much.
posted by Artw at 9:42 AM on January 21, 2017

Strange how it sounds like 70's jazz fusion
posted by bhnyc at 9:53 AM on January 21, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yeah, definitely - Squarepusher has often cited Jaco Pastorius as one of his main inspirations. He was in a jazz trio for a while and even released an album of straight-up jazz fusion.
posted by Frobenius Twist at 9:59 AM on January 21, 2017 [2 favorites]

A friend of mine that i played music years ago used to stay late at the practice space, listening to squarepusher on his headphones and playing drums alongside it. He will love this! (I like it too)
posted by gorbichov at 10:00 AM on January 21, 2017

Yeah, played live you kinda can't help but realise that "Squarepushers Theme" is actually bad jazz wankery.. I used to be so into Squarepusher in the 90s but really can't stand it now.
posted by mary8nne at 10:11 AM on January 21, 2017

nothing wrong with a good wank every so often
posted by inpHilltr8r at 12:56 PM on January 21, 2017 [2 favorites]

mary8nne: "Yeah, played live you kinda can't help but realise that "Squarepushers Theme" is actually bad jazz wankery.. I used to be so into Squarepusher in the 90s but really can't stand it now."

Which Squarepusher? Even the post 90s? Ultravisitor? Hello Everything (you'd probably really hate that if you hate the "jazz wankery" (but really?)) I'm not saying there aren't points where he indulges in it to the point of exhaustion (Solo Electric Bass, anyone?) but listen to Ufabulum or the most current one Damogen Furies and ... well the jazz influence is there (more in the progressions than outright bassnoodling) and seriously... It's more dubstep than jazz. I personally prefer the older jazzier stuff. But his newer work really isn't. Honestly I feel it's a bit more derivative these days, even if the progressions are fresh.

The original Shobaleader album is fairly decent for what it is.

I mean, to each their own, but man that's just harsh.
posted by symbioid at 1:12 PM on January 21, 2017

I saw them at Le Poisson Rouge about a month ago - it did get a little too widdly-widdly by the end but I didn't even care, it was an amazing show. To think that Hard Normal Daddy came out 20 years ago...
posted by STFUDonnie at 1:14 PM on January 21, 2017 [1 favorite]

Metafilter: it did get a little too widdly-widdly by the end but I didn't even care
posted by CynicalKnight at 1:28 PM on January 21, 2017 [8 favorites]

We all gotta jazz noodle freak out from time to time.
posted by Artw at 2:16 PM on January 21, 2017

I get a Return to Forever flavor in there. The drummer was a highlight for me.
posted by CrowGoat at 3:23 PM on January 21, 2017

red hot cock rock
posted by Zerowensboring at 7:33 PM on January 21, 2017

CynicalKnight beat me to it.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 8:36 PM on January 21, 2017 [1 favorite]

These are indeed, impressive results.
posted by mrdaneri at 10:31 PM on January 21, 2017 [1 favorite]

I've apparently lost my mind. I've never really paid much attention to Squarepusher since I bought "Higgins Ultra Low Track Glue Funk Hits" 15 years ago and didn't like it. Only I just remembered that's Venetian Snares. I've heard a couple of things, but now I wonder how long I've been ignoring Squarepusher thinking of the wrong act.

And now I feel like I wrote this before.
posted by bongo_x at 12:35 AM on January 22, 2017

*Reads Post*
Huh, I bet the drummer has to work way harder than the rest of the band.
*watches video*
Yup.
posted by shmegegge at 2:59 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

Also, if I were attending a show, I don't know that I'd be able to resist demanding that they attempt Come On My Selector.

However they play Iambic 5 poetry, so that fucking rules.
posted by shmegegge at 3:07 AM on January 22, 2017

Hoping to hear some Hard Normal Daddy tracks!


posted by zippercollider at 2:13 PM on January 22, 2017