By Paul Acquaro
Guitarist Ava Mendoza is depicted with prickly pear cacti infront of a
barbed-wire fence on the cover of her new recording New Spells. It’s a fine
visualization of the sounds that crackle forth from her electric guitar.
barbed-wire fence on the cover of her new recording New Spells. It’s a fine
visualization of the sounds that crackle forth from her electric guitar.
This is her sound. Some recent group settings featuring Mendoza, like
Mayan Space Station with William Parker and Gerald Cleaver, and Nate
Wooley’s Columbia Icefield project, are elevated by her bristling energy (and
in terms of the latter, a neat contrast of energies with pedal steel player
Susan Alcorn). On New Spells, Mendoza is not only front and center, but
alone in carrying the whole recording, which she does artfully.
Mayan Space Station with William Parker and Gerald Cleaver, and Nate
Wooley’s Columbia Icefield project, are elevated by her bristling energy (and
in terms of the latter, a neat contrast of energies with pedal steel player
Susan Alcorn). On New Spells, Mendoza is not only front and center, but
alone in carrying the whole recording, which she does artfully.
The recording begins with ‘Sun Gun.’ Gummy chords wobble in the background,
steeped in reverb, while melodic notes are plucked out. Then, the song opens
into a passage that recalls an unexpected Nirvana-like chord progression mixed
with the wispy thin guitar lines a la Television. ‘New Ghosts’ goes down a
different path, the beginning is sludgier, but not too heavy, the deeper tones
bend and ooze, and eventually are extruded into long, stretchy tendrils. A bit of
unresolved tension remains in the air throughout, especially when the echo
effects are turned up and the atmosphere gets crunchy and dense.
steeped in reverb, while melodic notes are plucked out. Then, the song opens
into a passage that recalls an unexpected Nirvana-like chord progression mixed
with the wispy thin guitar lines a la Television. ‘New Ghosts’ goes down a
different path, the beginning is sludgier, but not too heavy, the deeper tones
bend and ooze, and eventually are extruded into long, stretchy tendrils. A bit of
unresolved tension remains in the air throughout, especially when the echo
effects are turned up and the atmosphere gets crunchy and dense.
The last
three songs are composed by her contemporaries, saxophonist John Dikeman, and
bassists Trevor Dunn and Devin Hoff. Dunn’s ‘Ampulex Compressa’ begins with a
spikiness that fits Mendoza’s style well, and then unfolds with fractal like
wonder. Hoff’s ‘Apart From’ has a haunting folkiness that Mendoza delivers
with an enveloping approach. Finally, Dikemans ‘Don’t Look’ vascillates
between delicate arpeggiated melodies, trembling chord tones, and delightfully
guitaristic textures.
three songs are composed by her contemporaries, saxophonist John Dikeman, and
bassists Trevor Dunn and Devin Hoff. Dunn’s ‘Ampulex Compressa’ begins with a
spikiness that fits Mendoza’s style well, and then unfolds with fractal like
wonder. Hoff’s ‘Apart From’ has a haunting folkiness that Mendoza delivers
with an enveloping approach. Finally, Dikemans ‘Don’t Look’ vascillates
between delicate arpeggiated melodies, trembling chord tones, and delightfully
guitaristic textures.
Overall, New Spells is a bit grunge, a bit Hendrix, and all very much a
unique creation. There is a completeness to each track, a collection of not
just sonic exploration but rather songs with distinct narratives and
personalities.
unique creation. There is a completeness to each track, a collection of not
just sonic exploration but rather songs with distinct narratives and
personalities.
