Friday, March 11, 2016

Band Review: Ask My Bull


Ask My Bull is a flamboyant jazz punk band from Manchester who just launched their new EP.

In this case, flamboyant means gender-bending and visually outlandish. For example, you might see guitarist Fritz Lindner playing in a short green cocktail dress, garters, and fairy wings, or maybe Tom Le Cocq playing bass as a shirtless cowboy. On another night, they could all be wearing zombie makeup.

That can add to a party-like atmosphere, but perhaps what it should do is prepare you for things to be a little different, like mixing in punk with your jazz.

Having seen references to a two-piece, then a four-piece band, and now with five members as Fritz and Tom are joined by Elliot Slater and Luc Phan on saxophone and Alex Martin on drums, there is a feeling of something that has been growing and building. That is appropriate for jazz.

(Edited to add that Elliot Slater is new to the band since the completion of the EP.)

Their self-titled EP has five tracks. "Machete" is probably the most innovative, but I have a fondness for "Murunken". "Keep Pace You Wimps" lets you feel the funk.

I don't know what any of the titles mean. I'm not sure I'm supposed to.







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