The most recent release from one of the coolest bands out there. I’ve been digging moe. since 1996 and they continue to get better with age. As with most of their albums, the songs were all road tested, sometimes for several years, and it shows. This is a solid set played by a super tight band. Rob’s bass in the middle of “LL3” is one of my all time favorite moe.ments, as is the wacky groove on Jim Laughlin’s instrumental, “Jazz Cigarette”. Rob Derhak dominates the songwriting here, contributing five of the albums nine tracks, including the wicked “Skitchin’ Buffalo”, but Al Schnier gets off a couple of fantastic numbers (“Crushing” and “Dangerous Game”), and Chuck Garvey offers up the calmly-weird “Undertone”. Chuck is not as prolific as Rob & Al but when he brings in a song he really brings it.
This was the last release before Chuck’s stroke (and the first since Rob’s cancer battle). The band had a very rough few years but were abetted by friends, to keep playing throughout Chuck’s recovery. Fortunately he is back with the band and sounding incredible.
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