| Band
Members: |
Sims, W. Heyward: Guitars, Korg
Synth, Casio Keys, Bells, Loops, Vox |
Elliott, Bill: Drums, Percussion,
Vox |
| The
Review |
Just when you think you’ve heard all the sounds a trio
can make, along comes a band called Bolt and adds a new wrinkle
into the time-space-continuum. As a sophomore release Movement
and Detail displays a band that not only likes to experiment
with sounds and song structures but seems to have a lot of
fun along the way. The music here really seems infused with
a sense of fun and adventure. ***
As mentioned this is the second release for Bolt, a trio
that recorded their first offering in 2003. The live gigging
since that release allowed for a not so subtle shift in style
and certainly upped the level of musicianship. Consisting
of W. Heyward Sims (guitars, synth, loops, vox), Bill Elliot
(drums, percussion, vox) and Geoff Maxey (basses, synth, vox)
the three produce an ever changing musical style that while
written in short tasty compositions are simply loaded with
detail. The forty-seven minute CD features eleven tracks mostly
in the three or four minute range. Yet this allows plenty
of time for the musical gymnastics, changing meter, changing
sound, changing rhythm, there is so much changing going on
it’s hard to keep track. The music is instrumental although
there are moments where voices are heard, this more as an
effect more than anything else. The guitar sounds range from
all-out distorted frenzy to intricate finger picking and sometimes
within the very same tune. The one element that pervades each
of the compositions however is that there is a solid groove
happening. A few of the tracks even sound like the Police
on rave-steroids. This is music that one could easily imagine
hearing at an all-night rave and yet it contains a tremendous
amount of detail and depth to qualify it as progressive in
some sense. ***
If I had to compare Bolt to anything (hard as that is)
I’d say they’re in the same space as bands like Forever Einstein
although without the surf-guitar sound. Bolt have the added
dimension of synth loops working away in the background, giving
their music a fullness and texture that I really like. The
compositions are varied, upbeat always throwing something
new your way. Bolt’s Movement and Detail is a fascinating
release and one that, given its variety, can stand up to repeated
spins without growing old. Great stuff, it’ll be interesting
to see how the band develops. ***
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