Nick Millevoi - Desertion (2016)

Label:

Source: NYC TAPER

Genre: Psych-Jazz-Rock

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

You may be most familiar with Nick Millevoi as one-half of the two-pronged guitar offensive of the Solar Motel Band. But you may not know that Millevoi leads his own band of psych-jazz merchants, the Desertion Quartet, featuring Jamie Saft (frequent John Zorn collaborator), Ches Smith (whose extensive credits include Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog), and Johnny DeBlase (who also plays with Millevoi in Many Arms). Named for Millevoi’s upcoming album, Desertion, the group’s longform instrumentals oscillate between heavy riffage and and free-jazz freakouts. The Quartet opened up for the like-minded Sunwatchers earlier this month and treated the crowd to a preview of that album, which is due out May 20 on Shhpuma. “Desertion and the Arsonist’s Match” was recently written up by NPR and encompasses the breadth of the band’s range; but for my money it’s the eight-minute noise breadown “The Fire That Partially Destroyed City Hall” that’s most compelling. Either way, the players have the credentials and the songs to make Desertion one of this year’s most anticipated releases.

01. Desertion and the Arsonist’s Match (8:29)
02. Just For a Moment, I Stood There in Silence (6:08)
03. Where They Do Their Capers (7:59)
04. Disneyland in Hamtramck (6:56)
05. The Big Moment is Always Out There Waiting (3:55)
06. The Fire That Partially Damaged City Hall (8:31)

Nick Millevoi - electric and acoustic guitars
Jamie Saft - hammond organ and piano
Johnny DeBlase - upright and electric bass
Ches Smith - drums
Dan Blacksberg - trombone and string arrangements
June Bender - violin 

BUY IT @