Semantics — Bone Of Contention
Existing for a few years in the late 1980’s Semantics were an avant-jazz supergroup, bringing together the impressive talents of bass player Elliot Sharp, multi-instrumentalist Ned Rothenberg, and percussionist Samm Bennet. The band released just two albums their 1986 self-titled, and 1987’s Bone Of Contention- which saw the three-piece weaving in touches of off-kilter world music into their avant jazz rock sound.
This is a CD release of the album is from the great folks at Klanggalerie, who over recent years have been reissuing some great experimental gems, which this release most certainly is. The reissue comes presented in a glossy black four-panel digipak- this features on its front and back cover pictures of strange pottery, pictures of folks playing musical instruments throughout -out history, and the band playing live. Inside we find album credits, and a shadowy moody picture of the band playing live.
The original LP appeared in November of 1987 on SST Records- it took in ten tracks, with this reissue adding in three live tracks from the period as bonus tracks. The album moves from angular seesawing groove-meets marching to scarping percussion of “Trumped Up Charges”. Onto the bish-bash ethnic percussion meets bucking ‘n’ baying Avant jazz-rock chaos of “Subsequtial” which midway breaks down in a dizzying darting bass, drum scuttle, and horn breakdown.
Moving onto the second half of the record we have the buzzing world groove meets guitar rolling jive of “Animal Farm” with its dense, airless, and fidgety flow. We have the winding up ‘n’ down bass fumble meets flowing sax honk forests of “Code Ring”. With the original album playing out with the more brooding-if-clipped avant noir jazz of “The Big Sleep” with its crawling bass slugs, tight guitar simmer, and wavering horn unease.
The three live bonus tracks are good too- we have the manic honk ‘n’ dart meets machine-like percussion flow of “Proton Shake”. There’s bounding key dirge, snapping drums, and baying horns of “Tark Zone”. And lastly “One For Yogi” which has a snaking ‘n’ snorting slightly ethnic slurred jazz-funk feel to its flow.
It is so great to see Bone Of Contention back in print once more- and if you enjoy where avant jazz, off-kilter rock, and world music meet and oddly get it on, this is an album for you. Which like all of Klanggalerie releases can be found here .