Review: Lips and Ribs – ‘Males in Harmony’

Portland’s Lips and Rib’s (AKA Jay Winebrenner) 2010 scrumptious Males in Harmony (out now on cassette with dazzling new art courtesy of Field Hymns Records) is full fat, honey-drenched yogurt. This stuff has the caloric tick to keep you wrestling evil and grabbing summer by the waist.

Recorded way back in 2008, Winebrenner’s Afro-electro elemental march has not aged. Its sounds are stuffed with smirky youth and trouble making for late summer nights. “Shame on the Big Thinker” ignites this ultra catchy cassette with hyperactive spliced Afrobeat condensed into a highly addictive snack. You’ll want the Costco size. “Skull Mischief” bounces and zaps enough jittery horn sensations to blow away even the most curmudgeon of moods.

Males in Harmony cyclone adventure overturns numerous musical ideas and imprinted themes. The saxophones blaze a mess of analog flux with laser accuracy as the backbeat glitches 80’s percussive nods and effects. Winebrenner’s varied cast of tempos makes for a full meal deal. “Sargent of Ammo” is coked out, hyper drive, while “Cop Tears” is syncopated and scattered like melodic free jazz. “Hello Childhood” has the spin of a carousel, but floating ocean waves beyond land.

The main attraction and desire to return again and again to Males in Harmony is not only how versatile each song can be on its own, rather the incredible pacing given to all instrumentation. Every beating note and formed measure helps sculpt something tangible. Sure, the sax generally steals the show, but take “V-Feel’s” subdued, introspective backing rhythm, for instance. The patience surrounds the dirty, mature kazoo/sax sound, giving it ample room to explore. Later on “Pregnant City” births the heaviest organ synth this side of the Fiery Furnaces. The immense weight thrust upon each chord is so dance induced, it’s as if Winebrenner collected the stuff dripping from a troll’s rainbow.

Up till now, it’s been a travesty Males in Harmony had gone so long without a physical release. Few instrumental records have the sweet, creamy goodness found here. This is pure decadence without the unpronounceable additives.

(Listen to ‘Males in Harmony’ below via Bandcamp and you can purchase the cassette HERE.)