With two absolutely massive singles under their belt from their next album IV, those crazy Canadian jazz-hop dudes BadBadNotGood are back once again with Confessions Pt II. This time partnering with legendary saxophonist Colin Stetson, who’s worked with the likes of Arcade Fire and Bon Iver – it’s a match made in heaven.
If you’re familiar with BadBadNotGood’s work, you’ll recognise that within most of their songs, there’s just a little touch of madness. Being the incredible jazz musicians they are, they’re able to go from incredibly precise and restrained to absolute insanity at the drop of a hi-hat. Confessions Pt II may well be one of the most insane tracks they’ve done to date. Kicking off with some really deep sax and simple drum patterns, Colin Stetson jumps straight in with a wild sounding sax solo. It’s something you can imagine getting played over the top of an old film-noir film, especially as the piano builds to break into a more usual sax lead. From there, we’re treated from movement to movement of different solos, bass lines and drums, often times intertwining with one another. The most impressive part though, is that it never sounds messy. It’s all so calculated and purposeful, with nothing ever being too much or too little to handle.
With IV out in a little over a month on July 8, no doubt this is just a taste of what’s to come. BadBad have always done exactly what they want, and it’s worked brilliantly for them. Confessions Pt II is testament to that fact, and it’s so impressive to see. We can’t wait for the album.
Image: Innovative Leisure