Anchored by Steve Horowitz’s fretless bass, New Monstersexplores quirky grooves and thematic material with plenty of room for open-ended improvisation. Along with Horowitz, The San Francisco-based quintet features the dueling saxophone front-line of Steve Adams and Dan Plonsey—who composes the groups material—, pianist Scott Looney and drummer Jim Bove.
Tight, two saxophone harmonies are prevalent and give the music a unique character, at times deliberately harsh, certainly ear catching and a lot of fun. Plonsey’s writing is at its best when things happen quite unexpectedly, as with “Dragon of Roses” and “New Boots for Big Foot,” moving from pseudo-ethnic dance rhythms to out-of-nowhere abandonment of form. Plonsey and Adams burn it up on the title track showcasing a penchant for free blowing.
The sci-fi/horror theme of the track titles and the cover art coincide with the overall unusualness of the music to create a refreshing listening experience.
