Album Review: Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light

Album Rating: A-

It seems to be Colin Stetson’s sole duty on this world to utterly destroy the commonly held concept of a saxophone. The common pre-Stetson picture would be one of a brass instrument with a couple dozen button things to press; possibly even with a few scratches if you’ve seen your fair share. You know how it sounds, for the most part, and what type of music it plays. You might also have arrived on the idea of saxophones being the perfect instrument to play if soulful, moonlight silhouettes were all that mattered. Post-Stetson, the image is muddled somewhat, mainly due to its utter disintegration as pieces are scattered in related concepts no one dared to suggest before. The idea of saxophones as percussion; its use in place of vocals; its place as the moody reflection of other music... if it didn’t all work it would not be so confusing. Nevertheless, the second volume of New History Warfare managed to cause a bit of a stir in music circles not often associated with jazz or experimental music. In part, this was due to Colin’s previous associations with the likes of Tom Waits, Arcade Fire and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but otherwise the success owes itself to his utterly bizarre and fascinating style of playing.

Artist of the Day: Colin Stetson

Colin Stetson's music is the most mechanical living beast one could ever imagine. This is why the musician's work is such a paradox, because however much labor he places in it, regardless of how structurally solid his art is as a whole, its effect on the listener transcends blueprint. What Stetson achieves with sound isn't something that can be calculated, or even estimated: it leaps into the field of potential with both wings outstretched, capable of picking up any and all willing passengers.