PROGGY GOES CAVORTING
An album that includes a title like ‘Oh My Cod’ might pick up a decent sprinkling of points from the Macedonian jury at Eurovision.
Krokofant won’t be treading the boards at the annual cheesefest any time soon. Don’t cry for me Reg and Tina.
Imaginatively entitled 6 – as naming conceits go this album goes the extra mile by providing us with 6 tunes on this their sixth album – these guys play chunky riffs, don’t mess about and might appeal to heavy metal loving teenagers or middle aged gamers who have moved on from digging Napalm Death and want a prog-jazz soundtrack while they surf for Mariner Jack Spice Trade facial grooming product on the Beard Shed.
No one is pining for the fjords needless to say given 6 isn’t at all manicured, hush laden or overly stripped back.
MOSH PIT FRIENDLY
The band, a threesome these days, was founded in Oslo in 2011. There isn’t usually a mosh pit in any jazz club. But if these guys were put in front of the dinner jazz adoring masses tapping a toe to the PA one night down the Woking Pizza Express, the ever game Dennis from Sidcup might be dreaming of one. In off the road after selling a few widgets to small business clients locally unwinding post doughballs hearing all this he may suddenly rediscover his inner Robert Fripp or in the more blues-rock passages long hair dreams of being Rory Gallagher.
The cod piece is a highlight
There’s not a whole lotta room for improvisation beyond the riffs and grooves so hardcore jazz fans may find the structures a bit limiting. Nevertheless it ain’t dull and nobody noodles too much. But guitarist Tom Hasslan has clearly had his shreddies for breakfast when he launches into one on ‘Oh My Cod.’ Really can’t resist what’s next but it’s true: the cod piece is a highlight.
Other players here are saxist Jørgen Mathisen and drummer Axel Skalstad who has a whole lot more to do than anyone else on the record delivering up a decent racket as he pounds away ever reliably. There’s no time for Axel to relax on the axis of life. He’s far too busy.
Not as good as what Soft Machine did on Other Doors, our favourite jazz prog release of recent years – but fun.
Ideally you’d want to hear Krokofant standing in a sticky floor kind of dimly lit dungeon rather than a sit down jazz club preferably accompanied by your head banging freshly tattooed hound totally off the leash, plenty of Terry Pratchett to read in breaks topped up ready on your phone and a shelf handily sturdy and available nearby to rest yours and Helga’s tankards upon.
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