Makaya McCraven
In These Times


4.1
excellent

Review

by Miloslaw Archibald Rugallini STAFF
October 30th, 2022 | 22 replies


Release Date: 2022 | Tracklist

Review Summary: ba dum tsss

Born of jazzian loins and weaned on a philosophy of music as a reflection of (actual offline) culture (by names that nevertheless spawned Wikipedia pages), Makaya McCraven's musical genesis brings to mind images of Lurtz spilling out of his sac and straight up murdering the nearest orc to hand, except in McCraven's case it's more likely that he twanged out his first composition on an unbroken umbilical cord while stomping his lil baby feet in polytemporal glee, ordering the perplexed doctor to spank him on the third beat, but drag it a little, make it drunk.

39 years after that categorically didn't happen, Makaya McCraven now plays the drums in broad, challenging, and appealing styles. In These Times successfully functions as both a backdrop to McCraven's prodigious talent in all things percussional, and an affective and timbrally diverse set of compositions that'll have you tapping your steering wheel with great enthusiasm as you miscount every other bar.

Following the drumkit one piece at a time, you'll note that one (or, uh, more) piece(s) will likely be holding time accurately while everything else swings like Dilla at a Key Party. Problem is, even the parts keeping “real” time have a tendency to play complex patterns and subdivisions, and the bedrock of many of these tunes is an odd meter. Things become all the more fun to (attempt to) follow when parts shift their interpretation of The Groove to keep you on your toes. Big theory, big jazz, big green tick, A+, your arts degree was not a waste of time.

All this might suggest that In These Times is an album for mouthbreathing music theory maniacs, but this couldn't be further from the truth. For all of its suave technicality, each dose of left-brained smartboi shit is fully tailored to the spirit of the composition, and that spirit is one that would probably appeal to the kind of heathen that requests that you put on something as “background music” [is this why I have no friends?]. Of course, there are sprinkles of the kind of uptempo rhythmic carnage that would slot right into a Tigran Hamasyan record, but for each instance of this you're just as likely to get an emotive solo, a transportive string section, or the kind of jazzy hip-hopisms that Yussef Dayes will often be found tapping away behind.

And that's really the spice in the rice: In These Times is an alluring listen because it is multi-faceted and fun. Makaya McCraven is just as impressive driving a straight 4/4 track that an MC could comfortably spit over as he is at misleading attentive listeners over unusual time signatures. But it doesn't end there; he also composed and produced everything here, had a hand in engineering and mixing, and is credited on 11 different instruments to boot. Admittedly, four of these are drums, percussion, tambourine, and handclaps, but guess what? Even those handclaps fuckin' slap.



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user ratings (55)
3.7
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
MiloRuggles
Staff Reviewer
October 30th 2022


3139 Comments

Album Rating: 4.1

https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/in-these-times



Pay for this album! It is deserving!

MiloRuggles
Staff Reviewer
October 30th 2022


3139 Comments

Album Rating: 4.1

ty, if this site wasn't run on chewing gum and spit i would send a clapping emoji your way

bgillesp
October 30th 2022


8868 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I didnt know he had a new one out! Will get on this soon

Calc
October 30th 2022


17459 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I loved this a lot. drummers release the best solo albums. clever summary too lol

bgillesp
October 30th 2022


8868 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Universal Beings is one of my favorite new jazz albums, so I’ll always be interested in this guy

Josh D.
October 30th 2022


17849 Comments


jazzian loins

Listening to the title track right now, fucking great

cylinder
October 30th 2022


3034 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

fun review, this sounds great

bgillesp
October 30th 2022


8868 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Dont remember Deciphering the Message well enough at the moment to compare, but this one seems to have a different focus from Universal Beings. UB felt very beautiful throughout, but this one feels a bit more heady to me. Though tracks like This Place That Place on here are wonderfully encompassing of all those feelings. Was not as immediate for me overall, but still loved it and will give more listens for sure.

Kompys2000
October 30th 2022


9483 Comments


Tight rev rugallini, can't get enough joking about how addicted to Dillabeats modern jazz kids are

I've seen this floating around Bandcamp here and there but the artist name + album cover led me to mistakenly assume it was roots/folk of some kind- glad to have my facts straight now! Any suggestions for what tracks here would make the best playlist candidates?


bgillesp
October 30th 2022


8868 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Playlist tracks are t/t, This Place That Place, and Seventh String imo

MiloRuggles
Staff Reviewer
October 30th 2022


3139 Comments

Album Rating: 4.1

Dillabeats are beautiful and deserving of love, but yes we must not forget to laugh and live at them also to complete the holy trinity

Playlist suggestions are accurate so far, but also it depends on the playlist because there are

No

Bad

Tracks

MiloRuggles
Staff Reviewer
October 31st 2022


3139 Comments

Album Rating: 4.1

Cheers purp, lay down those thoughts and feelings once you've done so!

Josh D.
October 31st 2022


17849 Comments


Picked up the vinyl today.

Josh D.
October 31st 2022


17849 Comments


Damn, AOTY?

MiloRuggles
Staff Reviewer
November 1st 2022


3139 Comments

Album Rating: 4.1

Dis good indeed! Glad you enjoi

AOTY you say? Oh baybee, show me that rating

osmark86
November 2nd 2022


11506 Comments


Just listened to a track from this randomly earlier today before I saw this review on the main page. Guess I gotta jam the whole thing now then.

Josh D.
November 2nd 2022


17849 Comments


Like marimbas much?

Hm, I think the title track is still it.

HelloJoe
November 2nd 2022


1097 Comments


Speaking of the marimbas, Joel Ross, who plays on this record also had a good record out this year. It's called The Parable of the Poet.

MiloRuggles
Staff Reviewer
November 2nd 2022


3139 Comments

Album Rating: 4.1

It's definitely the best marimba centric 2022 joint this side of Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp! Not sure I have a favourite here

Sweet, ty Joe will give her a spin

MiloRuggles
Staff Reviewer
December 12th 2022


3139 Comments

Album Rating: 4.1

We are LIVE



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_BE_gi4YkA



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