Naked Came the She Squid
Torso
2headed records
by Wang Howe
At least one writer for Bassline Magazine is overly fond of lounging, the term being loosely defined as those hard-to-find moments for self-reflection and relaxation.
Listening to new music certainly adds pleasure to these moments. That's why BM's latest review of the group Torso's (2headed Records) second release “Naked Came the She Squid” was a good way to escape from the mundane and triviality that colors any day of the week.
With Torso's disc making my Mac seem even more user-friendly, I had no trouble forgetting my surroundings, and It certainly gave me a mental musical aural massage.
The disc is clearly defined as easy listening, but I would argue that there is nothing easy about cleverly produced electronic/jazz with live guitar and bass.
The art of blending and bending jazzy grooves with contemporary beats can really take the wrong turn if left to amateur artists/musicians. It's key to note that Louis Selvitella and Lee Leffler take full advantage of having honed their musical chops beginning in high school and then with brief stints at Berklee's College of Music.
The duo's follow up to their 2005 seven-track project "Percolatin' with Lucifer" is more upbeat and is quite accessible. The 12 tracks don't stagnate or merge into one sound. It's a journey to please from start to finish.
Overall, the disc is danceable in the right surroundings and comes off as being not at all cheesy mall background filler. I envision this crew continuing to release quality music in the future.
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