Bryan Doherty

Bassist Bryan Doherty's debut album opens with a bass groove vaguely reminiscent of something Jaco Pastorius might have done in Weather Report. Over the top of this, what sounds like a couple of horns (though there's only one sax player) lay out a thick melodic line that eventually moves into a groove. This is the pattern for much of the album -- grooves that build to full compositions that devolve back into grooves. In "No Mode," the bass riffs cascade around and over the top of what is otherwise a casual rhythm section, almost without destination. From quiet storm-style soul to fuzz-rock fusion, the band checks perfectly into a number of styles. Somewhere along the journey, though, Doherty's bass pops into the front spot. It's rare for a bassist to hold the podium as long as Doherty does here, but he generally makes it work. While the band can move through styles near and far, it's in the pieces more akin to a nightclub groove that the band, and Doherty, can really shine. A case in point is the bubbling bassline in "Cluj-Napoca," which bends the bass into something rarely heard, but entirely worth the price of admission. ~ Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide