Pond Surfers - Naked Lady

Hear The Track Here

Jimbo, Lief, you really didn't need to send me a naked lady, I'd have reveiwed this anyway. So, I stuck her away for further scrutiny (and a bit of how's yer father) so now lets get to the business at hand. Pond Surfers is a collaboration between the artist called Alderman and Jim Miller (of Jim-n-Lisa), both of whom have been very special artists to me for a long time. I seem to have known Leif (Alderman) forever and Jim has become one of my favourite Soundclick flavours in whatever guise he seems to adopt. The story behind this track is about a 1954 Conn 'Naked Lady' saxaphone that Jim rescued and restored which has since become one of his trademark sounds.

Come on, you don't seriously think they would send me a naked lady, did you?

On the face of it, a collaboration between the musical style of Alderman (electronica, dancey) and the edgy, dark alternative indie that Jim-n-Lisa produce doesn't seem feasible but that's before you hear it. Although I've come across them in various combinations, I've only ever reviewed one Pond Surfer track: Excursion (October 2005). Although I always appreciate the density of ideas and the sheer musical nous of both these guys, for me the track was just a bit too new age-y in feel but there was no disputing the style and expertise on display. It goes without saying that I expected a lot more from this track...especially since it features a bassline from yet another old friend and well known internet face, Steve Worswick aka Square Bear.

It's easy to spot the bassline in question, especially if you are familiar with Square Bears work and it can only be Jimbo on the tooter so is the lead guitar work courtesy of Alderman? Not at all the track I was expecting, Naked Lady is an almost chaotic but sublime romp into jazz fusion and one I found much to my taste. Central character is, of course, el saxo and it fully deserves the spotlight. I've always made a big thing about Jim's saxplaying and on this outing he shows exactly why he is The Man, the sound, the phrasing, the tone all shout 'fekkin listen to me!' and you do. It helps that the musical backing is edgy AND soft and that is no mean trick, and that some of the most inventive sections where truly splendid. I am, however, tremendously biased and I feel it only fair to mention it. Nonetheless, if you want to hear some music with balls and style, this'll be that bad boy. Oh, btw, it is REALLY good to hear Square Bear again because it's been a while.

Months of pleasure. Recommended.