Medeski Martin & Wood - Radiolarians : The Evolutionary Set
(5xCD+1xDVD+2xLP) Indirecto, 2009-12-08

The Radiolarians Series,named after a type of single-celled organism with a dazzlingly intricate exoskeleton, was designed to subvert the age-old music industry cycle of write>record>tour. The trio, consisting of keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Billy Martin, and bassist Chris Wood, convened for brief writing retreats, performed only that new material on tour and recorded the material immediately after getting off the road. The band repeated this processes three times while touring in different regions of the US and South America. MMW and Indirecto Records released this music on three records, which came out over the course of the past year.


medeski martin and wood radiolarians the evolutionary set CD 1

Tracklisting Radiolarians 1 (CD) :
01. First Light
02. Cloud Wars
03. Muchas Gracias
04. Professor Nohair
05. Reliquary
06. Free Go Lily | Download MP3
07. Rolling Son
08. Sweet Pea Dreams
09. God Fire
10. Hidden Moon
11. bonus track : Incantation

medeski martin and wood radiolarians the evolutionary set CD 2

Tracklisting Radiolarians 2 (CD) :
01. Flat Tires
02. Junkyard
03. Padrecito
04. ijiji
05. Riffin’ Ed
06. Amber Gris | Go download MP3
07. Chasen vs Suribachi
08. Dollar Pants
09. Amish Pintxos
10. Baby Let Me Follow You Down
11. bonus track : Clifton

medeski martin and wood radiolarians the evolutionary set CD 3

Tracklisting Radiolarians 3 (CD) :
01. Chantes Des Femmes 7:49
02. Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down 4:26
03. Kota 9;12
04. Undone 5:39 | Download MP3
05. Wonton 6:01
06. Walk Back 6:30
07. Jean's Scene 8:42
08. Broken Mirror 5:27
09. Gwyra Mi 5:32
10. bonus track : Satan Part II

Radiolarians: The Evolutionary Set compiles the three records of The Radiolarians Series in the same package for the first time, and gives the listener the addition of three previously unreleased bonus tracks. Radiolarians I, II and III were met with widespread praise upon their release, as the trio pushed their music in new directions.

Be it the more experimental sounds of “Chasen vs Suribachi,” the pop-rock swagger of “Undone,” the funk-lilt of “Free Go Lily” or the classical meditation of “Kota,” MMW challenged themselves with ever-changing forms of playing and writing. What resulted was some of the best and most advanced music of MMW’s prolific history.

As mentioned, included with the three Radiolarians records are three bonus tracks: “Incantation,” “Satan Part II” and “Clifton” which the band recorded live during the original Radiolarians sessions.


medeski martin and wood radiolarians the evolutionary set Vinyl 1

Tracklisting Radiolarians Vinyl 1 :
01. Amber Gris
02. Amish Pintxos
03. Undone
04. Reliquary
05. Junkyard

medeski martin and wood radiolarians the evolutionary set Vinyl 2

Tracklisting Radiolarians Vinyl 2 :
01. Chasen vs Suribachi
02. Walk Back
03. Free Go Lily
04. Hidden Moon
05. Padrecito

Medeski Martin & Wood have hand selected tracks from the three Radiolarians albums to include on a special edition, high quality audio, double vinyl LP pressing. The first record in the 10 track collection of highlights, will center around MMW’s more riff-focused compositions such as “Amber Gris” and “Undone,” while the second record will feature funkier tracks such as “Walk Back” and more ambient mood pieces such as “Hidden Moon.” The band wanted to give their fans a chance to experience the music in a superior audio format, while offering the visceral physical connection that can only come through vinyl.


Medeski Martin and Wood Explorarians

Tracklisting Explorarians (Live Album, CD) :
06. Chasen vs. Suribachi 6:03
07. Dollar Pants 6:09
08. Amish Pintxos 7:53
09. Walk Back 9:04
10. Junkyard 7:25
11. Gwyra Mi 8:47
12. Flat Tires 10:30
13. 10 Minutes of Our Lives 10:44

Included as part of the package will be an 8 track, 70-minute live record culled from shows recorded during the Radiolarians tours in 2008 and 2009. The live record emphasizes the band’s versatility, as the listener is given a chance to hear the studio music fleshed out in fullyformed and extended improvisations. As it was, this music was written and perfected on the road, so to hear it played live represents an essential aspect of the entire Radiolarians concept.


Medeski Martin and Wood Remixolarians

Tracklisting Remixorarians (CD) :
01. Undone (Undone D-Mix Remixed by Danny Blume) 6:51
02. Flat Tires (Remixed by DJ Logic) 3:08 | Download MP3
03. Chasen vs Suribachi (Produced by Mister Rourke) 4:32
04. Kota (Remixed by Dan the Automator) 4:13
05. Rolling Son (Remixed by DJ Olive) 6:05
06. Free Go Lily (Produced by DJ Spooky) 3:58
07. Flat Tires (Produced by DJ Spooky) 4:15
08. Junkyard (Remixed by Scotty Hard) 5:14
09. Chasen vs Suribachi (Remixed by Mat Young, RPM) 3:15
10. Reliquary (Qubti Mataraqah Produced by Mutamassik) 4:22

Remixolarians is a 10 track remix CD featuring contributions from 9 different DJs and producers. Mixes from Dan The Automator, DJ Spooky, DJ Logic, DJ Olive and Scott Harding, amongst other amazing DJs, demonstrate the adaptability of MMW’s music as the songs range from different forms of groove and funk to accessible and edgy dance-pop songs. Some of the remixes derivate skillfully from the nature of the composition, adding thumping club-beats, or vocals overtop of layered keyboards and punched-up bass lines. Other mixes cut and paste song sections resulting in creative pastiches of the original songs. Overall, Remixolarians offers a fresh and innovative perspective on the music of The Radiolarians Series.


Medeski Martin and Wood Fly In a Bottle

Tracklisting Fly In A Bottle (DVD) :

Feature : Fly In A Bottle
Directed by Billy Martin
Edited by Luke Augusta & Billy Martin
Animation Artist: David Gottlieb
Camera Operators: Billy Martin, Peter Barrett, Liz Penta, Gary Waldman, Leigh-Ann Beverly, Kenny Raduazzo, David Kent, John Medeski, Dakota Martin, Alan Martin, Matthew McClain.

Specials :
01. Incant to Chantes Des Femmes (5:05) 2009
Filmed, edited and directed by Grey Gersten
02. Amber Gris (4:35)
Filmed, edited and directed by Billy Martin
03. CW (3:14) 2009
Filmed, edited and directed by Billy Martin

As an amazing finale to the entire box set, Billy Martin directed the first feature film in Medeski Martin & Wood’s history entitled Fly in a Bottle. Tirelessly working through footage of MMW in the studio and on the road, the film provides an extremely intimate portrait of the band. It highlights the trio’s intricate relationships with each other and with the music they have worked to create over their past 19 years as a band. In conjunction with Fly in a Bottle, the DVD will also include the music video for “Amber Gris”, the esoteric Incant to Chantes Des Femmes directed by Grey Gersten, and an experiment with time-lapse film entitled CW. CW (directed again by Martin), is a metaphoric look at the evolving and intricate relationship between Chris Wood and John Medeski from Billy Martin’s perspective. Filmed on the tour bus, CW is set to the music of “First Light” and features excerpts of transistor radio as used in “Chasen v. Suribachi.” The DVD portion of the set provides a fitting closure as fans and critics are given unprecedented access to the band during their everyday lives. It’s raw, highly personal, and real.


Medeski, Martin & Wood
Fly In A Bottle Excerpt Trailer


Links :
mmw.net
myspace.com/medeskimartinandwood
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Radiolarian_Series

Original post on Superfly Records (blog)