The Bad Plus Release Self-titled Album With New Lineup
Innovation and renewal have always been baked into the musical DNA of The Bad Plus, so it’s only fitting that they’ve once again reinvented themselves. The group, which has historically been a piano trio, has just released a self-titled album that marks their first as a quartet. Founding members Reid Anderson and Dave King are now joined by guitarist Ben Monder and saxophonist Chris Speed. Although the textures have changed, the band’s identity is intact.
“In some sense, it is a natural transition,” Anderson told us in a recent interview. “The important thing is that we do need a harmonic instrument in the band. There’s a harmonic language to our music that needs to be conveyed. Most of the music translates well to the guitar, with a few exceptions of things that were very piano-specific. Also, he’s Ben Monder. [laughs] He can do pretty much anything.”
The new lineup led Anderson to revamp his setup slightly, opting to take the gut strings off his double bass and replace them with steel strings to cut through the mix.
The band’s energy and drive are evidenced in the track “Not Even Close to Far Off,” which has plenty of rock and grunge influence.
The Bad Plus is out now on CD, vinyl, and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).
The Bad Plus Track List:
- Motivations II
- Sun Wall
- Not Even Close to Far Off
- You Won’t See Me Before I Come Back
- Sick Fire
- Stygian Pools
- In The Bright Future
- The Dandy
