Misc. Day – The Power of Three

BADBADNOTGOOD’s III is a testament to how jazz is still alive and well. The genre is still shown the respect it deserves, while integrating a fresh take, allowing BADBADNOTGOOD to create one of the most interesting and exciting jazz records to date.

III is obviously their third album release following BBNG2 which had some cover songs featured like “Earl” and “Flashing Lights” which are both songs on two different ends of the spectrum. One by the at the time grimy rapper Earl Sweatshirt from his debut mixtape Earl, and the other by Kanye West from his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. I first found out about BADBADNOTGOOD from their work with Tyler, The Creator on some covers of his songs and ever since then I have been a fan. I loved their covers and eventually began to love their original work.

III has now become the perfect album for driving in the car with absolutely no direction, the perfect album that requires headphone to hear every single note that is played. BADBADNOTGOOD did an incredible job preforming this album and I could only imagine how much of a great time it was recording and mastering the album as well. The different saxophone work, the piano keys that switch between hardcore wailing and slow melodies, and the drums. I can not go on enough about how outstanding the entire band is and it really is just something you have to hear to believe. The progression of BADBADNOTGOOD even just over three different albums has come so far from their first recording and they only become better with each release.

Following this record, they also did some work with GHOSTFACE KILLAH called Sour Soul, which is another album that is just so musically sound and has some really challenging beats from not just BADBADNOTGOOD but GHOST as well. The album primarily focuses on GHOSTFACE but is a welcome addition to their discography.

The production of a record or album can make or break the piece. If the production is terrible then almost no one will listen to the album if everything is mixed wrong or not properly mastered, João Carvalho did an incredible job with the mastering and really while the musicians made the groundwork, Carvalho made it sound outstanding.

The work from Alexander Sowinski, Chester Hansen, and Matthew Tavares who are the three main members on III, create one of the most just genuinely fun albums to hear to and to be a part of through the listening process. Even if you aren’t a musician or into jazz there are still songs that don’t primarily focus on jazz music. The whole album is more of a compilation of lounge songs, and everyone should hear the song “Kaleidoscope” at least once in their lifetime.  I thoroughly enjoyed III and I can not wait to hear IV, which just came out earlier this week. BADBADNOTGOOD is a band that had a bright upcoming, but they have an even bigger and brighter future ahead of them.