Adult Jazz

English experimental rock band

Adult Jazz

Origin| Leeds, United Kingdom
Genres| Experimental rock, indie electronic
Years active| 2010 (2010)–present
Labels| Spare Thought, Tri Angle
Members|

* Steven Wells
* Tim Slater
* Harry Burgess
* Tom Howe

Adult Jazz is an English experimental rock band.

## History

[edit]

Adult Jazz was established in 2010 at the University of Leeds. Members Tim Slater, Harry Burgess and Steven Wells are all originally from Guildford.[1] In 2013, they released a 12" vinyl single;[2] In 2014 the band released their debut full-length album titled Gist Is on Spare Thought.[3][4][5] The album had a positive critical reception, with David Peschek, writing in The Quietus, positioning it "at the sharpest edge of the expression of queer experience in pop music" [6] The record caught the ear of other artists: cellist Oliver Coates covered the album's opener Hum;[7] Bjork attended a 2014 show in Reykjavík, later writing about the experience for Art in America magazine; Shabazz Palaces remixed their single Springful;[8] and the group were invited to play 2015's Meltdown festival at the Royal Festival Hall, curated by David Byrne.[9]

In 2016, Adult Jazz released a mini-album titled Earrings Off! on Tri Angle.[10][11][12] The record explored harsher digital textures and the critical reception was mixed. Music review website Drowned In Sound called it a "brave, intriguing release" [13] whereas YouTube critic Anthony Fantano called it "one of the most annoying things [he'd] heard all year".[14] The lead single, Earrings Off!, was remixed by Norwegian musician Jenny Hval. Later that year, the band worked with Okay Kaya on a double A-side single, featuring a cover of the Curtis Mayfield song Keep On Pushing.[15] In 2020, they worked with Moses Sumney and Oneohtrix Point Never on the track Cut Me from Sumney's album Græ, which was placed at number 12 in Pitchfork's best songs of 2020.[16]

In 2024, the band returned with Dusk Song, their first release in eight years,[17] followed by two more singles, Suffer One and Marquee, for an upcoming album. In April 2024, the band released their second full-length album So Sorry So Slow. The Clash's Nick Roseblade noted the albums slower pace, but praised the lyricism and subversive melodies, writing that the group remains "a powerhouse of skewed pop."[18] In a review for Bandcamp's "Album of the day" Ted Davis wrote "These songs swirl and jitter at random, hinting at a virtuosic collective consciousness. The unpredictability at the heart of the album elicits a warm, deja vu-like energy. It’s like the pleasant experience of a foggy teenage memory resurfacing out of the blue."[19]

## Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

* Gist Is (2014, Spare Thought)
* Earrings Off! (2016, Tri Angle)
* So Sorry So Slow (2024, Spare Thought)

EPs

* Am Gone/Springful (2014, Spare Thought)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Pattison, Louis (29 November 2014). "Adult Jazz: 'It's so hard to get out of the idea of girls and boys'". The Guardian.
2. ^ DeVille, Chris (16 January 2014). "Adult Jazz – "Am Gone" (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
3. ^ Cook-Wilson, Winston. "Adult Jazz: Gist Is". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
4. ^ Moon, Tom. "First Listen: Adult Jazz, 'Gist Is'". NPR Music. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
5. ^ White, Caitlin (5 August 2014). "Adult Jazz – Gist Is". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
6. ^ Peschek, David (14 August 2014). "Adult Jazz: Gist Is Review'". The Quietus.
7. ^ Eede, Christian (8 September 2014). "Oliver Coates x Adult Jazz". The Quietus.
8. ^ Studarus, Laura (23 October 2014). "Listen: Adult Jazz – "Springful (Shabazz Palaces Remix)"'". Under The Radar.
9. ^ Roseblade, Nick (9 September 2015). "Meltdown Festival Review: Young Marble Giants 30/08/2015". DrownedInSound. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
10. ^ Lozano, Kevin. "Adult Jazz: Earrings Off!". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
11. ^ Jonze, Tim (19 May 2016). "Adult Jazz: Earrings Off! review – awkward, exhilarating avant pop". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
12. ^ Hilton, Robin (3 May 2016). "First Watch: Adult Jazz, 'Earrings Off!'". NPR Music. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
13. ^ Harrison, Andrew (18 May 2016). "Adult Jazz, 'Earrings Off!'". Drowned In Sound. NPR Music.
14. ^ "Yunorview: May 2016". YouTube. 4 June 2016.
15. ^ Blais-Billie, Braudie (8 February 2016). "Stream Norwegian Artist Okay Kaya's Dreamy Rework Of "Keep On Pushing"". NPR. The Fader.
16. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2020". Pitchfork. 7 December 2020.
17. ^ "Adult Jazz – "Dusk Song"". Stereogum. 23 January 2024.
18. ^ Roseblade, Nick (24 April 2024). "Adult Jazz - So Sorry So Slow | Reviews". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
19. ^ Davis, Ted (29 April 2024). "Adult Jazz, "So Sorry So Slow"". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 5 May 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Bandcamp

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* VIAF

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