Album Reviews

The Portrait EP

Wage Cage, FACEBOOK.COM/WAVECAGEBAND

Wave Cage—a local band made up of Jarrett Purdy on keys and synths, Ryan Garmoe on flugelhorn and electronics, Nolan Schroeder on saxophone and electronics and Christopher Jensen on drums—describes itself in a couple of ways.

In an email to Little Village, co-leader Purdy calls the ensemble a “jazz/fusion/electronic band.” On the band’s YouTube channel, it says, “Wave Cage fuses jazz composition with electronic textures.”

The band’s debut recording, The Portrait EP, bears these descriptions out. But it also brings to mind a more succinct genre descriptor: smooth jazz.

It’s possible that the members of Wave Cage simply don’t think about the band in those terms. But it is equally possible that they’ve made a conscious choice to avoid the moniker because, it must be said, “smooth jazz” is a divisive term. For many a jazz fan, smooth jazz doesn’t qualify as jazz at all. In many cases, the music might more accurately be described as instrumental pop. A jazz purist might well be heard using “smooth jazz” as nothing short of an epithet.

That is decidedly not how I am using it here.

Let me be clear: The Portrait EP is an engaging, atmospheric, beautifully produced and occasionally humorous recording. If you like saxophonist David Sanborn or trumpeter Chris

Botti, you will like The Portrait EP. If you like guitarist Pat Matheny’s “Last Train Home,” you will like this recording. If you like your jazz to be driven by melody and can take or leave long sections of improvisation, you will like The Portrait EP.

Part of the credit for the EP’s success clearly goes to Jensen, who, in addition to playing the drums, recorded, mixed and mastered the recording. The recording is lush and warm, and the frequent effects—most notably reverb—put on the instruments are handled tastefully and add to rather than distract from the musicians’ playing.

And that playing is strong throughout the four tracks on the recording. In the absence of a bass player, Purdy is frequently the pulse of the band (though in spots, Jensen offers a prominent and straightforward drumbeat). Meanwhile, Garmoe and Schroeder blend beautifully, whether a passage calls for warm-toned exploration of a melody or technical proficiency.

My favorite track on the recording is “Level Up,” which is to video games what “Last Train Home” is to trains. “Level Up” is a whimsical take on video game soundtracks, complete with the familiar synth sound from the Mario Brothers games. As the energy ramps up, it is easy to imagine the track as a slightly off-kilter take on the celebratory music that might follow the defeat of the final boss. It might sound as though I am describing a novelty number, but I’m confident “Level Up” will hold up even for the listener who has never experienced the joys of finding coins and rescuing princesses with Mario and Luigi.

EPs are the appetizer plates of the recording world. Here’s hoping The Portrait EP will soon be followed by a full entrée of music from Wave Cage.

—Rob Cline

The Vernal Equinox EP

Nadalands, NADALANDS.BANDCAMP.COM

Nadalands are back with another mediative EP: The Vernal Equinox. Each song truly reflects the title’s meaning: shining light on the ways of the new world. This five-track treasure features vocals from well-known local musicians Alexis Stevens and Brian Johannesen joined with Matt Tritto and Benjamin Buttice. This projects’ sound is unique due to the rest of the band being based in Fort Collins, Colorado. We get a great balance of both rustic, vibrant towns. The beautiful sounds of John Lindenbaum on guitar carry you through the beat production by The Gyrd.

The EP is 20 minutes of great harmony and traditional feels. It takes you on a journey of self-reflection. The album art shows the peaceful countryside near a sandy beach and clear blue skies. This paradise is interrupted by a futuristic town in the making, representing evolution. The song placement does a great job presenting the consistent themes of fear, death, romance and faith.

Full of upbeat rhythms, this is sure to put you in the mood for a great time with friends. We start with a meeting in the park that could potentially go wrong on track one, “I Will Show You Fear in a Handful of Dust.” We are reminded of the importance of respecting the people we encounter, because they could be experiencing unimaginable circumstances. This track also reveals one of the controversial themes presented throughout the EP—the relationships between citizens and law enforcement. There is mention of the police, National Guard, undercover agents and first responders.

There has been constant national coverage regarding police brutality, demand for budget re-evaluation and protected respect for the profession more now than ever before. Nadalands allow us a glimpse into the different viewpoints around our nation.

We find the hopeful romantic on track two, “Tampa Nightclub incident.” The words of unsatisfied lovers are always “will you wait for me?”—a question rarely answered. We experience a story of someone wishing the ways of the world didn’t interfere with their second chance at love. There is mention of the hard time people faced trying to date during quarantine. The lyrics “In October, let’s go where they still have medicine” identify a concern many have during the current state of the pandemic. Access to vaccines and fully staffed hospitals remain an obstacle in 2021.

Track three, “The Coloradoan Song of the Dead,” reveals just how connected we all are despite life choices and occupations. Individuality doesn’t separate you from the ways of the world. Time and seasons bring community change, and we will inevitably change with the community, as well. Just as the world as we know it dies, the loyal citizens will die with it. We are encouraged to remember the lyrics from track four, “500k”: “We are One, we are strong. We are done, we are gone.”

The Vernal Equinox is a great addition to the Nadalands collection. Be on the lookout for the band’s live performances scheduled Fall 2021.

—Dr. Dawson