Dig'Em Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 AllMusic gives this disc four and a half stars, but the following less-than-stellar review: Review by Scott Yanow John Zorn teams up with fellow altoist Tim Berne, bassist Mark Dresser and both Joey Baron and Michael Vatcher on drums to perform 17 Ornette Coleman tunes which range chronologically from 1958's "Disguise" to four selections from 1987's In All Languages. The performances are concise with all but four songs being under three minutes and seven under two, but the interpretations are unremittingly violent. The lack of variety in either mood or routine quickly wears one out. After about ten minutes, boredom sets in, although, when taken in short doses, the performances have the potential of shocking (or at least annoying) most listeners. I know Zorn gets mixed reactions 'round here, but I'm interested in any particular thoughts about this recording. Put another way, does anyone actually like this one? I've got other Zorn that I like (e.g., Masada). I find myself liking the energy of Spy vs. Spy, when I'm in the right frame of mind, but being hard-of-listening when I'm not - even more so than I usually am with avant-leaning stuff. Clearly, this one will need a bit more time, though I'm not sure repeated listening will ever fully bring me to the point of consistent love or hate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 It puts a smile on my face, but I don't reach for it much. I like it, but it's not the type of album that's going to offer anything new after repeated listenings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILLYQ Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 To my ears this is one of those discs that is best listened to in small bursts, not all at once. I reach for it sometimes but I'll only play say, 5-7 cuts and then move on to something else. At that level of exposure it serves to 'clean out' my ears and I'm refreshed and ready to be a bit more 'open-eared'. I play handball on Sundays and my friends have dubbed me the 'maestro' because I make up discs every week and bring the boombox to play them on. I like to slip in a few cuts here and there from 'Spy vs. Spy' and my friends, who are not big jazz fans(but quite tolerant) almost always get a chuckle out of that. In fact, for this Sunday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Dorward Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 I wouldn't take anything Yanow says about this one too seriously. It is not, as they say, pitched at his demographic. It is a pretty remarkable album, though I wish it was available in a remastered Tzadik edition (I assume that like "Two-Lane Highway" -- another one desperately in need of a remastered CD -- it's still only available on Elektra/Nonesuch?). Very tinny digital sound. But I used to play this one all the time & even now I like it more than most of Zorn's Naked City output. The tracks I like most are "Ecars" and "Mob Job" on side B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 No-Wave Ornette? Sounds cool to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unk Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 I'm not a particular Zorn-o-phile, but I like both the Masada and Spy vs. Spy. I'll admit upfront that I haven't listened to SvS for a few months, but I didn't find it 'violent' so much as uninhibitedly frantic...in a generally good way. More sax unison lines than I originally expected, and sticking more closely to the head-solos-head formula - albeit with collective solos in many cases. If I can say it without sounding negative, it strikes me as cartoon music on hallucinogenic amphetamines. Or some such thing. I think it'll grow on you, provided you don't compound the effect by indulging in hallucinogenic amphetamines yourself before listening. Through headphones. On "11". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rostasi Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 cartoon music on hallucinogenic amphetamines.I think he'd like that description very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 I still have this one but it doesn't come out very often. I can't say I'm too fond of it. Best Zorn for me is the Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet and the News For Lulu cds. On the other hand seeing Naked City live was quite an experience and one I wouldn't have wanted to miss - incredible. Can't say I'd want to replay it home though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 A very long interval of time would have to pass before I would choose to listen to this over the real Ornette and Prime Time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefok Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 I PREFER MASADA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 It would be nice if Zorn revisited this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with the Golden Arm Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Q: do ya'll wanna eat pussy or suck cock all the time? i mean the physical act, not desire... but it's dandy when we do, si? I can only envision Ither of those to 'Spy vs Spy' as the soundtrack - "Mob Job", maybe, but makes a bit more interesting imagery than some Kip Hanrahanrahan thru the walls. Languid squamousilliciousness a tough sell with the former. I sure do wish I had seen them Spy gigs w/ Sanborn, Berne and Zorn fronting two basses and Baron and Vachter going like a Harley parade. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU-iR7kokE8 closest i could find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 What's wrong with this album? I love it, though it's not Zorn's best work, is far better then most of some other stuff he did. I mean he did A LOT OF STUFF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Dorward Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Yeah... try the duo albums with Eye if you want Zorn at his worst.....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Love Nudes For LuLu, hated Spy v. Spy. In the former case I thought the concept helped the playing, in the latter it (Ornette as punk?) just got in the way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Yeah... try the duo albums with Eye if you want Zorn at his worst.....! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsvFu750VQ4 Actually, I don't mind them in small doses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with the Golden Arm Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Yeah... try the duo albums with Eye if you want Zorn at his worst.....! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsvFu750VQ4 Actually, I don't mind them in small doses. What's really cool is they quote a little bit of Steve Miller's "Jungle Love" in that piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unk Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Yeah... try the duo albums with Eye if you want Zorn at his worst.....! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsvFu750VQ4 Actually, I don't mind them in small doses. What's really cool is they quote a little bit of Steve Miller's "Jungle Love" in that piece. Damn you. Now I've got "Jungle Love" running through my brain. STOP IT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with the Golden Arm Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 just had to share ... it's drivin me mad, it's makin me crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 You did it to me too. You're a menace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Has any artist recorded as much as Zorn while producing as much unlistenable music? If you put all of Zorn's output onto a continuum, Spy vs. Spy is actually on the sheerly enjoyable side of the Bell curve. Is Spy vs. Spy more than a novelty act, though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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