Sometimes a name just grabs you and demands that you explore it a little bit further. Carnivorous Plant Society is a not just a good name, it’s a damn good name. I used to have this strange habit of picking my listening material based on cover art, now a good band name is the next best thing.
So, what’s in a name? Let’s find out.
The New King by Carnivorous Plant Society is the group’s latest album. Genre wise, it is described as cinematic jazz. It’s not a genre I am that familiar with, but that hasn’t stopped me yet.
Diving straight into their latest album, it quickly becomes clear that cinematic jazz is basically a kaleidoscopic wall of sound. We are greeted with a multitude of synths, atmospheric layers, guitars, drums, horns, spoken word and that’s only the first track, Carp In A Pond.
The next track, Car Dance, which features Tiny Ruins, greets us with more atmospheric layers, an upright bass, vocals and some form of pitched percussion, and it is soon followed by more guitar, drums and woodwind instruments. It’s a buffet of instruments.
What grabs me with this album is each track stands out from the last, the grooves are infectious, and the distinction of timbre really creates mood and atmosphere. Track three, Swamp Bossa, features some nice horn breaks and is coupled with a surf rock guitar backing, reminding me of a spaghetti western or old spy movie.
This isn’t the type of album that you listen to while having a few drinks with friends unless they are open minded musicians. This is an album that you lie back on your bed with headphones on and let the music take you on a journey. This is painting pictures with sound. Each track is a new destination,
I’m not going to harp on about the production (pun intended), as I don’t think that production is very important in this genre, it’s not made for radio or mass commercial markets. This is music for musicians and I for one understand and appreciate the hard work put into each track. I recommend that you dive in for yourself and let the music just wash over you like a wave.
Review written by Jessie James Hanright
