On their first two albums, sounded like an exciting, adventurous rock band who had one foot in experimental rock and avant-garde music, while the other gingerly dipped a toe into jazz. For their third LP, the group have solidified their jazz leanings in a big way. Guitarist , who has a background in free jazz, invited the respected jazz saxophonist to sit in with the band at some live shows, and they took the collaboration into the studio, with 2024's as a result. Initially, much was made of 's punk rock pedigree, since bassist and drummer were best known for their work with Washington, D.C. heroes , but that band was never a doctrinaire four-square punk outfit, and 's experimentalism, sometimes graceful and sometimes frantic, was an excellent match for and 's blend of muscle, precision, and musical adventure. With the addition of , while this music honestly sounds more like jazz, in many respects he simply expands on what this band was already doing, albeit in a positive and exciting way. Like a great jazz rhythm section, at once lay down a solid rhythmic foundation and add color and texture to complement what the other players are doing, and at once construct and confound melodies. 's guitar work occasionally dives into no wave-inspired skronk, and similarly has no fear of occasionally abandoning tunefulness in the name of inspiration; on selections like "Boatly" and "The Time Is the Place," can shift from rich, post-bop leads into bracing sprints up and down the scale with joy, smarts, and an impressive technical skill. Does this music sound more like jazz mostly because there's a saxophone? Yes and no -- does guide into places they would not have been quite as likely to find on their own, and when he adds a languid mood, the music certainly sounds more introspective and less noisy than it might have otherwise. (It's also worth noting that the first two albums were issued on , the D.C. punk label that brought out 's work, while this LP was released by the established jazz imprint .) 's first two albums, however, proved beyond any doubt they had the talent and daring to take on whatever sounds they chose, and reaffirms that, with giving them the opportunity to explore new avenues without losing a bit of what made their previous work special. , who knew more than a little about jazz, once said, "If it sounds good and feels good, then it is good!" And by that standard, is very good indeed, regardless of what genre you choose to describe it. ~ Mark Deming