Mixing clarinet-heavy cabaret pop and modern chamber Jazz, this rising talent from Cambridge, Massachusetts is both a gifted percussionist AND composer. Never mind the fact that he plays in a bazillion bands, has shared the stage with some true legends, and performed at Carnegie Hall. The future is looking bright for Austin McMahon. His tastefulness as a drummer has certainly informed the restrained but punchy nature of his compositional style, never giving in to “look what I can do” tendencies. The album is also blessed with a diverse sound, though a singular musical vision runs throughout. One minute you might think you’re listening to the backing tracks of a Jon Brion production, the next you’re lost in a post-bop get-down, then you suddenly veer off into minimalist-influenced filmic territory. It is a sound that is hard to pin down besides simply saying that Austin McMahon’s music is subtle, reverential to tradition, and thoroughly new.
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