Yakuza

Samsara

[5/5] On their third album for as many record labels since 1999, Chicago’s Yakuza take a big step forward from the “formula” of crazed-thrash-plus-screaming-free-jazz-sax established on their brilliant 2002 disc Way Of The Dead. They’ve slowed down a bit in the intervening four years, giving the songs (and the listener) room to breathe, and perhaps more importantly, frontman Bruce Lamont has learned how to sing. Seems he’s also bought some more effects pedals for his tenor sax: This time out, the solos swirl almost psychedelically, rather than screeching Charles Gayle-style. All these changes indicate a sense of maturity that’s very welcome in music this dense and challenging. Yakuza no longer have to whip out every trick in their book on every track; they’re now making music that, like the best jazz and rock, develops organically as it goes along. And even without a 40-minute space-jam instrumental to close things out, Samsara is totally satisfying.
(PROSTHETIC) Phil Freeman