Embers in Bloomington, MN

For their third full-length release,
the Unstable Ensemble
present a collection of live recordings from their June 2003 tour. The music is as spacious and quiet as on
The Liturgy of Ghosts
, but it features a stronger collective focus, which makes it slightly less demanding on the listener. The lineup this time consists of saxophonist
Marty Belcher
, guitarist
Jason Bivins
, percussionists
Ian Davis
(except for one short track) and
Matt Griffin
, and
Eric Weddle
at the mixing board and cassette recorder. Half of the tracks, representing three-quarters of the album, come from a concert in Easthampton, MA, and provide the most fulfilling material. The opening piece,
"Everything Vibrates,"
sets the bar high: sparse and intense, very
AMM
-like, it explores a very wide range of dynamics and sounds in the course of its 19 minutes, with especially acute contributions from both drummers.
"Sphere"
is the other highlight, with
Weddle
's no-input mixing board sweating sine waves in the background and
Bivins
' electric guitar at times sounding barely tamed and restrained. Recorded at
Casa del Popolo
in Montreal,
"Better Up North"
sounds almost trashy in comparison. The piece is short and introduces some diversity in the track list, but the rough sound quality makes it difficult to appreciate.
Embers
as a whole lacks a bit in the sound department: the mix lacks some depth and warmth. In an attempt to capture the group from a "live room" perspective, the recording actually makes it harder for the listener to feel involved in the music. ~ Francois Couture