Mörglbl– Jazz For The Deaf
The Laser’s Edge
http://www.lasersedgegroup.com/

Rating:  B+

Imagine taking the eccentric sounding band Primus and an accomplished guitar shredder such as Steve Vai or Joe Satriani, and locking them together in a room to see what kind of mad experiments they could conjure up. This might give you an idea of the template that French instrumental trio Mörglbl is working off of as they unleash their latest effort Jazz For The Deaf. While I generally find most instrumental records of this nature tend to lean more towards lengthy excursions of guitar wankery I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the results here. The group has put together a solid album that, while it does feature a heaping display of musical chops, it more importantly also has well constructed songs designed to keep the listener engaged for the full hour long ride. 

Make no mistake about it guitarist Christophe Godin is the main focal point here as his blazingly articulate solos on “Myspacebook”, The Bleach Boy” and “Jazz For Deaf People” make up a large portion of the band’s sound. However, that being said the funky and muscular rhythm section of bassist Ivan Rougny and drummer Aurélian Ouzoulias should not be overlooked as their meaty backbone provides the solid foundation necessary for Godin’s extended forays. The duo isn’t content with simply backing him up as they are focused on accompanying him for the ride, making Jazz For The Deaf a true team effort in every sense of the word. The ever changing atmospherics on songs like  “The Monster Within Me”, “Stoner de Brest” and “Hell’s Balls”, not to mention the subtle doses of humor injected into some of these song titles, make for serious music but with a with pleasantly lighthearted feel to it as well.

If you’ve never heard of these guys but enjoy instrumental music with stunning musicianship then I’d have to say Jazz For The Deaf is really no-brainer. You need to add this one to your collection.         

    -Ryan Sparks