The Clunk Orchestra : The Sound It Makes Review
by Bea Willis
Bringing us sounds from down under, the Melbourne Australia based quartet that call themselves, The Clunk Orchestra, they have released their debut album titled, The Sound It Makes. “The name of this band is The Clunk Orchestra because that’s the sound it makes in front of an audience” was saxophonist Ron Anderson’s explanation at a concert last year. Hence the title of this disk.
Clunk offers eight instrumental tunes composed by band members past and present, and performed live in the studio. It’s true that the diverse tunes have a variety of built-in musical surprises and gritty improvisations: never a dull moment. But essential to Clunk is the movement of feeling and energy in the music; that’s the sound it makes.
The “orchestra” is actually a quartet on this release as the players (Ron Anderson tenor, alto, soprano saxophone; Geoff Spooner, guitar; Ben Harmsen, bass; Marek Podstawek, drums and percussion) create the funkified sound that is cornerstone to the success of the Clunk sound. The opener “Painting Music” captures the energetic spirit of the quartet. The melody is lyrical and set to a jazz-rock-fusion feel. The tune has many twists and turns through an interesting progression. Spooner’s color changes in his sound adds interest. Anderson’s melodic solo is well supported by Podstawek’s deep bass line and Harmsen’s energetic drum support. Spooner’s electric guitar solo builds the energy and brings out all the finer points of jazz fusion.
“Chunnel” starts with a funky guitar intro and builds upon that theme for the duration. The band is well versed at many styles and the funky fusion of this track suits them just fine. The tune has multiple sections that keep it interesting and building in a thoughtful way. Anderson plays with fire and purpose. Spooner finds the rock core of the tune and ratchets it up a notch. Harmsen takes a nice solo with some hip double stops. Podstawek also gets the spot light in which he shines as he works over the kit. The band builds each passage and develops the tune in a manner that makes you feel like you have traveled to a musical destination that was satisfying.
At times The Clunk Orchestra’s tunes churn into a background radio friendly sound you can take with you on a weekend drive, while at other times its edgy sound perks its head and funks the casbah.
Either way, The Sound It Makes, is a confident collection of instrumental tunes that swirl around the jazz and funk genre.
The Clunk Orchestra : The Sound It Makes Review
Tracks to sample first: “Painting Music,” “Chunnel” and “Andrea Dorian.” The song to take a chance on is “Freeway.”
The Sound It Makes
by The Clunk Orchestra
- Release Date: May 4, 2018
- Label: Self-Released
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