Porcupine Tree Nil Recurring

Unlike some EP's which are previews to upcoming full-length albums, Nil Recurring is really more of a supplement to the last one, the phenomenal Fear Of A Blank Planet. Clocking in at just under a half an hour total, these four tunes were composed during recording of that album and as such, contain much the same structure and feel. In fact, "Normal" steals the chorus from Fear's "Sentimental." "What Happens Now?" sounds like an idea inspired by "My Ashes," at least in the lyrics.

But there really aren't a lot of lyrics overall. It's a little more textural than the long player and even Mr. Texture himself Robert Fripp provides a yelping lead guitar on the instrumental title track. These songs are not quite up to the level of the Fear tracks, but that's not to say they aren't worthy listens. Far from it. After all, Porcupine's chaff of late have sounded better than most rock band's wheat. PT fans will want to pick this up if they hadn't already. You can bet that Glen Boyd has.

Dewey Redman The Struggle Continues

I'm old enough to have been aware of the tenor saxophonist Dewey before knowing anything about his son Joshua. Joshua, of course, has become the star that his father never quite came close to being himself. But having grown up in Fort Worth around Ornette Coleman gave the elder Redman some long standing exposure to the "new thing" in jazz and he's even gigged and recorded with Coleman's band in the late sixties and early seventies. He was also in Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra and Keith Jarrett's mid-seventies quintet.

Like the Maupin record, The Struggle Continues from 1982 is an ECM remastering/re-issue and is Redman's only record for that label as a leader. The music is not really whack jazz, it's mainly solid, straight-ahead bop anchored by Ed Blackwell's steady drums. But the second track "Love Is" is a beautiful, gentle waltz where Dewey reveals his delicate side. Redman passed away about fourteen months ago without getting his due recognition, but hopefully this re-issue will help to posthumously furnish Dewey Redman a start on getting that.

"Quickies" are mini-record reviews of new or upcoming releases. Some albums are just that much more fun to listen to than to write about.