FLEA - Helen Burns (EP)

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Avantgarde, Ambient | Heft: Jahrgang 2013, eclipsed Nr. 150 / 5-2013 | VÖ-Jahr: 2013 | Wertung: 7/10 | Label: Org | Autor: MFG


Flea is bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Australian-born resident of L.A. has been with the band since its inception. But we'll soon forget this again if we want to listen to the debut EP of the 50-year-old. The six plays on "Helen Burns" last just 26 minutes. But they have nothing to do with the crossover rock of his ancestral band. Instead, avant-garde sounds à la Radiohead, jazz reminiscent of Miles Davis, ambient excursions that would delight Brian Eno, and piano swabs reminiscent of the gentleness of Camel's art-rock pioneers can be heard here. The strongest piece of the EP is the most structured: "Helen Burns" - with Patti Smith as guest singer. Apart from that, emotions and musical ideas blow cheerfully back and forth between the participants. This is a pleasure to listen to, but occasionally a bit too much sweaty. Flea also plays a wonderful atmospheric trumpet (his first instrument long before he started plucking the bass). The album title comes from a character from Charlotte Brontës novel "Jane Eyre. An autobiography". That fits.

Top track: Helen Burns

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