The Veil

iTunes Review

Drummer Jim Black, guitarist Nels Cline, and saxophonist Tim Berne all have impressive jazz pedigrees, but they are no strangers to rock and rock-influenced improv. (Cline, of course, is the lead guitarist for Wilco.) The trio’s 2011 release, The Veil, recorded live at The Stone in New York, is essentially one long improvisation (divided for this release into titled tracks). The opening section, “Railroaded,” comes charging out of the gate with hard-hit drums, blaring sax, and aggro guitar which can evoke the harder side of King Crimson. “Momento,” on the other hand, is an edgy slice of ambient marked by Cline’s spacey guitar effects and Black’s laptop textures. “The Barbarella Syndrome” finds Cline unleashing dazzling jazz runs and wilder sounds. The masterfully choppy drums keep things off-kilter, and Berne’s speedy lines contribute to the gnarly thicket. By comparison, “Dawn of the Lawn” is quiet, but it’s dark stuff that’s far from mellow. “Tiny Moment, Pt. 1” features nice solo work from Berne played against Cline and Black’s grim backdrop. “Tiny Moment, Pt. 2” wraps things up with sustained atmospherics that build to a dramatic peak before simmering back down.