Cicada (Hazmat Modine album) explained

Cicada
Type:studio
Artist:Hazmat Modine
Cover:Cicada - Hazmat Modine.gif
Recorded:2007
Genre:Pop rock, blues, folk, jazz, world
Label:Barbès Records
Prev Title:Bahamut
Prev Year:2006

Cicada is a 2011 album by American blues/folk/world fusion/jazz band Hazmat Modine. The album was released on May 17, 2011 by Barbès Records, almost five years after their debut album, Bahamut.

Beninese musical ensemble Gangbé Brass Band features on two tracks; Natalie Merchant and the Kronos Quartet feature on one each.

Track listing

All songs written by Wade Schuman except as noted

Personnel

Sousaphone, tuba

Viola

Clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, piccolo, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone

Trumpet

Violin

Vocals

Vocals

Guitar, handclapping, vocals

Violin

Reception

Cicada received positive reviews from critics. Robin Denselow, writing for The Guardian, gave the album four out of five stars. Calling it "a brave and unexpected record", he was complimentary of several tracks but singled out the collaborations with Gangbé Brass Band, Natalie Merchant, and the Kronos Quartet as highlights.[1] In another four-star review, All About Jazz praised the band's eclectic makeup and concluded, "Even if Cicada doesn't surpass the novelty or the awards of the group's debut, Bahamut, it is a CD of spectacular aural aurora; one that brings an authentic, multi-referenced, American approach to the concept of world music."[2]

Bill Lupoletti, host of the "Global a Go-Go" program on WRIR public radio, called Cicada a "brilliant album", highlighting "Child of a Blind Man", "I've Been Lonely for So Long", "Walking Stick", "So Glad", and "Dead Crow" as the album's best tracks.[3] Allmusic's William Ruhlmann considered Cicada more "traditional jazz" than Bahamut, while still calling the band's sound "an eclectic mixture of roots styles that is nearly beyond category".[4]

Notes and References

  1. News: Denselow . Robin . 26 May 2011 . Hazmat Modine: Cicada – review . . 15 February 2015.
  2. Web site: Hazmat Modine: Cicada (2011) . Shaw . Anthony . 4 June 2011 . . 15 February 2015.
  3. Web site: Hazmat Modine - Cicada . Lupoletti . Bill . 14 May 2011 . . 15 February 2015.
  4. Web site: Cicada - Hazmat Modine . Ruhlmann . William . . 15 February 2015.