Thing, The

Garage consists of high-energy, slightly extended covers of left-of-center art/punk songs and free jazz gems. The Thing is Gustafsson, here on baritone and tenor saxophones, with one of the best rhythm sections active today—Norwegians Paal Nilssen-Love on drums, percussion and sampler; and Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten on double-bass; the rhythm section of Chicagoan Ken Vandermark's School Days, Finnish/American guitarist Raoul Björkenheim's Scorch Trio and the Norwegian-Swedish quintet Atomic—adapting the garage rock aesthetic and breathing more life into songs than I thought was possible. You cannot but surrender to The Thing's heated energy.

PERSONNEL:

• Mats Gustafsson (tenor and baritone sax)
• Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (doublebass)
• Paal Nilssen-Love (drums, percussion)

Athletic Sound, January 3 & 4, 2004

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. Art Star
• A2. Have Love Will Trave
• A3. Eine Kleine Marschmusik
• A4. Hey Fläsk (For Alva Melin And Martin Revheim)

• SIDE B
• B1. Aluminum
• B2. Garage
• B3. Haunted