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Special Others
The comedian Paul F. Thompkins hates jazz. Too many solos, he says, and everyone gets one. Whether you call the Japanese four-piece, Special Others, jazz, indie or post-rock, they do come at you with the solos, but unlike Thompkins, I think it works quite nicely. As it poured buckets on the White Stage crowd Friday night, the quartet traded turns in the spotlight. Despite looking like they just stepped out of the pages of Thrasher magazine,these Yokohama boys trade in bright and sparkling refrains, with just enough complexity and edge to steer away from jam-band territory.
Play Through the Rain
I don’t own their albums, but have seen them a few times at various festivals and the crowds just keep getting larger. White Stage was packed beyond capacity, and despite the downpour people were dancing and singing along whenever the mostly-instrumental outfit broke into song. Looking back, I can’t pull out a particular song or riff more memorable than any other, but like most jazz-influenced, post-something bands, it’s more about the process particular points in the final product.
