Funky, jazzy and loopy - Polar takes you from the ice plains of the title track through the repressive and incessant torture of the pit and the pendulum, then out into the languid world of heat haze.

 

With plenty more besides, polar offers a more urban, upbeat glimpse

 

2003 ogle13 - 300260

 

flight

is that right?

polar

the pit and the pendulum

heat haze

 

All compositions by Jon Goddard

 

Jon Goddard - guitars, imaginary horn, sampled electric piano,

keyboard double bass, loops and sequencing.

 

 

 

 

Multi-instrumentalist (and Roger Eno collaborator) Jon Goddard's other new project is another series of self-jams, this time in a jazzy vein. By further mining of the cool vibe created Bill Frisell, Goddard shows a valid in contrasting approach. The collection of six tracks opens up with a groove piece entitled Flight which gets the spirit soaring with a shuffle backdrop and excellent teasing guitar leads.  Is That Right occupies an electronic shuffle rhythm mode allowing the composer room to do his best Chet Baker interpretation on presumably modified electric guitar. The title piece is a more hazy late night attitude where guitar and horn intersect in a slurry ominous pulse. The tone immediately drops on The Pit and the Pendulum where the guitarist relies on machinery to create a tortured landscape that David Torn would be glad to have developed. The lead guitar roars over of a hip-hop beat that is both infectious and convincing. Heat Haze has a pastoral quality with about it with supporting bells and chosen harmonics to offset the chaos of the previous track. Dial X dips into a mire of guitar and horn uncertainty that turns into a jamming tour de force, implying a possible meeting between Baker and Frisell that unfortunately will never be. In summary, is there any type of genre that Goddard can't play well? From this point of view, I'd say we're all going to like whatever endeavors he can muster.