From tUMULt comes another album to take note of. Guapo
can best be described as playing some sort of jazz fusion. The first few
tracks in particular have a notable Middle Eastern quality to them. The
style changes quite a bit on track 5, "Ten Years of Heisei," where the
production becomes very bassy and raw, and on the last track, "El Topo,"
where the quintet explore a more ambient, noisy style that incorporates
electronics.
Guapo employs three different kinds of saxophones
and a minimoog, (instead of a keyboard. Hurrah!) along with more common
instruments like guitar, bass, and drums. There are no vocals in Great
Sage, Equal of Heaven.
While the material on the album possesses curiously
bizarre energy to it, the material, except track 5, is not abrasive. What
really makes this album worthy of your money is the stunning quality of
the musicianship, and the super cool drum solo on track 3.
This recommended album's fast, catchy, and interesting
jazz is a treat to listen to, and a very welcome palate cleanser between
courses of the evil and bombast that is mostly covered in this zine.
