It's been a long three years since Béla Fleck & the Flecktones released their last album, the expansive, three-disc Little Worlds. While the group's return to the studio, The Hidden Land, is only an hour in length, the Flecktones haven't changed one bit.
For those unacquainted with Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, you're in for a treat. The quartet is comprised of Béla Fleck (banjo), Jeff Coffin (saxophone and woodwinds), Victor Wooten (bass guitar) and "Future Man" Roy Wooten (percussion). Don't write off the group simply because of their instrumentation. The sound of the Flecktones is original and appealing. On top of that, the group is composed of four master musicians, each of whom deserves praise.
Fleck, himself, is a banjo master, and, while that might conjure up a certain tune from Deliverance, don't knock his craft until you've heard him. Coffin shines on all woodwinds. Wooten is a jazz bassist who lays down riffs that will make your stomach tingle. "Future Man," Wooten's brother, built and plays his own unique instrument, the drumitar -- cobbled together from a SynthAxe body and drum machine parts.
The Flecktones are difficult to brand with a single genre -- sticking to instrumental pieces ranging across folk, pop, jazz and bluegrass with dabblings in classical and electronic music. Their art is intricate, demands repeated listening and seems to defy all conventions, but somehow manages to be accessible and enjoyable. The Flecktones can either function as background or contemplative music.
The Hidden Land is a good entry point for the beginning Flecktones follower. Don't be fooled by the opening track, a Bach fugue. After a few minutes of classical indulgence, the Flecktones settle in to their tried-and-true jazz fusion style. Over the course of the thirteen tracks, everyone struts his stuff. Coffin will soothe your soul on flute during "Rococo", "Future Man" lays down a driving backbeat in "Kaleidoscope" and Vic Wooten is at his best during "P'lod in the House."
There are times when the album is weak, even overblown. "Misunderstood" might wear one's patience thin. Fleck's massive solo in "Weed Whacker" is impressive but starts to run a little long.
In the end, however, as the last strains of "The Whistle Tune" fade away, it is apparent that the Flecktones haven't lost a beat. If you're a returning fan, purchase and indulge. Otherwise, The Hidden Land will prove a solid, if not flawless, first outing with the Flecktones.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
