Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Fire!: She Sleeps, She Sleeps

Fire!: She Sleeps, She Sleeps

By John Eyles
March 15, 2016
View read count

She Sleeps, She Sleeps is the fifth album release from Fire! (yes, that exclamation mark is an integral part of the name), the Swedish supergroup trio of saxophonist

Mats Gustafsson

woodwinds
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Mats Gustafsson, bassist

Johan Berthling

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Johan Berthling and drummer

" data-original-title="" title="">Andreas Werliin. It sees the three return to duty as a trio following the distraction of recording and touring with the Fire! Orchestra, with its membership of about thirty. Away from the orchestra, past Fire! albums have seen the trio collaborating with other musicians such as guitarists Jim O'Rourke and Oren Ambarchi. Although their last trio album, (Without Noticing) (Rune Gramoffon, 2013), included no such additions, this time around three of the album's four tracks do include guests, Ambarchi on one track and cellist Leo Svensson Sander on two others.

The seven-and-a-half minute opening track, "She Owned His Voice," features the trio alone, and it is a potent reminder of what a fine group this is? the three members are immediately locked into each other, bass and drums providing a tight, driving groove over which Gustafsson gives a textbook example of what he does so well, firing off bursts of focussed, sustained baritone that display his awesome stamina, lung-power and phrasing. Next up, on the longer title track the rhythm section is just as reliable, allowing room for Gustafsson and Ambarchi to trade phrases that sound decidedly angst-ridden and atmospheric.

For the second half of the album's forty-four minutes, the trio are joined by cellist Sander who slots in with assurance, although the four-minute "She Bid a Meaningless Farewell" is dominated by a workmanlike drum solo before bass and cello join in to add to the pulse. The album is brought to a storming climax by "She Penetrates the Distant Silence. Slowly" which opens with bass alone and then gradually adds layers of sound and builds momentum before ending with a full-on assault by all four players—altogether an object lesson in controlled power and dynamics.

Aficionados of Fire! will find plenty here to remind them of the group's many strengths? newcomers can confidently join in here, knowing they have a treat in store.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

She Owned His Voice? She Sings, She Sings? She Bid a Meaningless Farewell? She Penetrates the Distant Silence. Slowly.

Personnel

Fire! Orchestra

band / ensemble / orchestra

Johan Berthling: double bass? Mats Gustafsson: tenor, baritone & bass saxophones? Andreas Werliin: drums, lap steel guitar? Oren Ambarchi: guitar (2)? Leo Svensson Sander: cello (3, 4).

Album information

Title: She Sleeps, She Sleeps | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Rune Grammofon

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Back Home
< Previous

Rumba Con Flores
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.