Quitters Newer Wins

Andrew Lustman's career has been defined by sonic highs and lows; from the scattershot approach of his aptly titled sophomore record You Stand Uncertain, to the assured and comparatively club-friendly - also aptly titled - Hardcourage. Then back to the intentionally disorienting - guess how fitting the title is - In the Wild, before reverting to his birth name to release a gung-ho jungle/hardcore homage titled Crystal Cowboy. His consistency comes from the amount of personality that goes into each record, with every one defining an era in Lustman's life. Heaven Is for Quitters is no different, a reflective yet hopeful deconstruction of life past, present, and future; it arrives at a time when Lustman veers away from club culture, both musically and personally, striving instead to create a deep connection between audience and art…

If told about a band that consisted of only keyboards and drums, one wouldn’t be faulted for thinking, “Where’s the rest of the group?” But one listen to Amendola Vs. Blades—the funky California-based duo of Wil Blades on Hammond organ and clavinet and Scott Amendola behind the kit—and all fears will be assuaged. Blades’s cutting solos and deep bass lines make for a thick stew of soulful harmony and daring improvisation. And Amendola’s beats are simply unstoppable, simultaneously pushing the duo to heights unknown and sending the listener into a joyful sonic trance. But, in a move away from their debut album, ‘Greatest Hits,’ the new album from Amendola Vs. Blades is bursting not only with creativity, but with personnel. ‘Everybody Wins’ features only three tracks that are exclusively duo. The rest of the album sees contributions from guitarist Jeff Parker (Tortoise), saxophonist Skerik (Les Claypool, Garage A Trois), percussionist Cyro Baptista (Herbie Hancock, Sting), and keyboardist Rob Burger (Tin Hat Trio, Laurie Anderson).