Vein: Vote for Vein

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Florian Arbenz (d)
Michael Arbenz (p)
Thomas Lähns (b)

Label:

Unit Records

June/2014

Catalogue Number:

UTS 4453

RecordDate:

June 2013

The cover is a mistake. Let's get that out of the way immediately. In a garish pastiche of a party-political election flyer, the band are pictured in matching dark suits, light shirts and stripy ties and smiling uncertainly for the camera – it's not a good look. ‘Three people can't be wrong!’ is written alongside the title – I hate to say it, but if three people approved this design, they can. Thankfully, the music is more likely to get your vote than the dodgy visuals. The piano trio – you could call them a Swiss equivalent of The Bad Plus if you really wanted to – have been putting out a disc a year since 2006, though this is the first of their albums to get a UK release. Humour is a major resource – try Thomas Lähns's bowed, pinging bass solo ‘Eat the Rich’ – as is theatricality; at times it sounds as though they're soundtracking a Buster Keaton movie in the manner of Scott Joplin and Kurt Weill. Curious and memorable.

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