|
New & Current Releases
Archives: A-Z Index
Advanced Search
Upcoming Release Calendar
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Music In Our Forums
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
|
These Are The Vistas
by The Bad Plus
This is not your ordinary jazz trio. For their major-label debut, The Bad Plus work with alt-rock producer Tchad Blake, and include covers of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Blondie's "Heart of Glass," and Aphex Twin's "Flim" among their seven original tracks.
| LABEL: |
Sony / Columbia |
| RELEASE DATE: |
11 February 2003 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Jazz |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
91
Entertainment Weekly
With equal measures of beauty, terror, and comedy in their own stuff, there's plenty going on besides stunt covers. [2 May 2003, p.71]
90
Amazon.com
Amidst all the fun is a dynamic record that holds your attention.
89
Austin Chronicle
The Bad Plus plies a refreshingly playful, forcefully dynamic, and knowingly irreverent sensibility that stretches the boundaries of the format without dislodging the music from its foundation.
80
Blender
An acoustic jazz trio for the future: funny, imaginative and completely unbeholden to the traditions of the music. [#14, p.130]
80
Uncut
The band achieve an impressive impact with a wide dynamic range. [Jun 2003, p.109]
80
Billboard
[The Bad Plus] aren't exactly reinventing jazz, but they are up to the task of aggressively disdaining genre conventions, in terms of upending arrangements, going with eclectic programming, and revamping their instruments' respective roles.
80
All Music Guide
What is impressive is that the trio manages to sound contemporary using only piano, bass, and drums, and without resorting to electronic gimmicks.
80
Rolling Stone
Their songbook bravado and grip of extreme dynamics are vividly caught in the poleaxed cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
80
PopMatters
A fun and decidedly unsnobby listen for both jazzophiles and newbies alike.
80
Splendid
I hope that These are the Vistas doesn't go down in history as "that record where the jazz guys played Nirvana", because it is much more than that.
80
Village Voice
Merges jazz, pop, and the conservatory in a heady and original way, accessible and seriously playful.
80
Mojo
This is exhilarating stuff. [Mar 2003, p.111]
70
Ink 19
This is a hard, focused album that should both piss off and impress the jazz and rock clientele in equal measures.
70
Pitchfork
They have a knack for hitting the melody where some more experimental outfits might opt for a diverse array of craziness.
60
Alternative Press
Far from essential, but... a good jazz starting point for the unitiated. [Mar 2003, p.90]
54
Stylus Magazine
The cover of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” is pretty inventive.... Unfortunately for the group, the album doesn’t approach these moments of sublimity nearly enough.
The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Discuss this album in our forums |
|
