Heavy Meta

This trio recording came out six years after the fact. Recorded in 1996 and slated for a 1998 release on K'EY Records, it was buried together with the label and finally unearthed in 2002 by Ecstatic Yod. And ecstatic it is: Greg Goodman, Henry Kaiser, and Lukas Ligeti deliver an overwhelming 79 minutes of energy-driven free improvisation. Kaiser shifts from track to track between his bass and acoustic and electric guitars. Goodman stays mostly on piano keys, but he also explores the instrument's bowels. As for Ligeti, he propels the group in a non-generic way, locking into a jagged avant-prog beat one minute, bursting into ecstatic jazz-style free form the next. Things do occasionally quiet down, like in the savory "The Green Child" — thanks heaven, because nonstop roller coasters the likes of "Logical Types" and "War & Piece" can become unbearable after a while. Two pieces specifically explore duo settings (the short "Does the Name Pavlov Ring a Bell?" and "Riddled"), but there are plenty of moments in the other tracks where the trio scales down, allowing for mood changes. Heavy Meta is not a landmark recording, even though Greg Goodman's discography doesn't run long. Truth be told, it can be difficult to take it all in during a single sitting. But it has its sparkling moments and packs enough power to be worthy of your time. ~ François Couture, Rovi