DAN WEISS STAREBABY, the NYC-based avant-jazz supergroup led by drummer DAN WEISS, presents an engaging new official video for “Head Wreck.” The collective sees WEISS joined by Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantômas) on bass, Ben Monder on guitar, and the twin-attack of Matt Mitchell and Craig Taborn on keyboards, pianos, and electronics.
“Head Wreck” is found on the outfit’s acclaimed second LP, Natural Selection, which saw release in September via jazz label Pi Recordings. The intriguing and intense album was expertly captured by veteran recording engineer Ron Saint Germain (Soundgarden, Living Colour, Bad Brains, Sonic Youth) and mastered by Joe Gastwirt. The video for “Head Wreck” was directed and filmed by Mimi Chakarova and edited by Derek O. Hanley and showcases this incredibly proficient unit capturing the song in the studio.
Offers DAN WEISS with the “Head Wreck” video, “I really like the way the video captures the energy of the recording session. I remember that I was really frustrated before this particular take – the fourth or fifth. The drum part that I wrote for myself is really demanding, and I wasn’t quite getting it. I finally nailed it in this take and let loose on the ending, improvised drum solo, hitting extremely hard and letting out my aggression. I also love everyone’s solo on this take. Monder plays some beautiful yet crushing stuff.”
Natural Selection is out now, on CD via Pi Recordings’ webshop HERE and through all digital service providers including Bandcamp HERE.
Natural Selection is the highly anticipated follow-up to drummer composer DAN WEISS‘s 2018 release Starebaby. Along with WEISS, the rest of the collective – who all return from the first album – is made up of a dream-team of musicians who share a love for heavy metal and whose playing is unbound by genre.
The recording of Natural Selection came fast at the end of a run of performances for the band – also named STAREBABY – which helped further cement the group’s unique sound. It’s staggering to contemplate the wide-ranging ability of these musicians from bone-crunching power to pensive reflection; exacting hits to improvised texture; faith to the compositions and manic improvisation. Each of these musicians is a leader in his own right; their 2019 releases evidence the sheer scope of their individual talents.
photo by Remi Angeli
