Degenerate Art Ensemble

This is a helluva lot more energetic than the last disc I’d heard from these guys, the Japanese Butoh-inspired Rinko. The Bastress is the Degenerate Art Ensemble as an angry jazz orchestra, although their sense of theatricality is still a central part of what they’re doing. Haruko Nishimura is a female Mike Patton riding herd over the sour metal and horns combo that is the opening track "Oni Gorshi.” The next track switches gears into a punk-y Weather Report groove, again with very agitated horns and increasingly polyrhythmic drums. Nishimura is then joined by the equally aggressive vocals of Josh Stewart on the title track. Just when you think it’s gonna be non-stop aggro, the song switches gears into a quiet chamber jazz section. The group are capable of a disciplined swing too, as on the perverse marching band workout "Tits and Honey.” The Bastress is a consistently engaging intersection of the Ex, Charles Mingus and the Boredoms.