The Bad Plus is a fearless Minneapolis piano trio. The group not only manages to combine a powerful, rock-related sound with avant-garde jazz, but also does this with a variety of rock songs, ranging from Tom Sawyer from Rush to Smells Like Teen Spirit from Nirvana. Their latest album The Rite Of Spring, on which they beautify the early twentieth century masterpiece Stravinsky of the same name, was
… a true feat and a highlight in their oeuvre. Less than six months later, this successor Inevitable Western appears. With only their own compositions, The Bad Plus is once again entering familiar territory, as if they had to shake off that heavy masterpiece. As always, this happens with a lot of energy, inventiveness and mutual fun. The Bad Plus is more than a piano trio, the roles of the three musicians are proportional, so that their dynamic and complex jazz not only always sounds accessible, but also receives the power of rock. No covers are needed for that this time. (MR)more