by Joseph Mastel
Zach Phillips seems to always be looking for new ways to expand his musical horizons. In his solo work and bands like Blanche Blanche Blanche, Martyr Group, Fievel Is Glauque, and Perfect Angels, Phillips creates exciting off-kilter tunes. If you enjoy experimental jazz or pop, then odds are anything Phillips has done will be up your alley.
True Music, the latest solo record from Phillips, sees him going as minimalistic as possible. It is just Phillips and a piano, nothing else. No other instruments are present. The jazz elements that dominate most of what Phillips does are still present, but there are no extravagant songs with wacky experimentation, peculiar production, or unusual instrumentation like his previous solo releases or other projects. Only once in “I Care” does Phillips opt to go in a slightly different direction. Near the end of the song, there is a fun little synth solo, one of the best moments on the record.
For the most part, Phillips embracing this simplicity and approach to songcraft for gives it an elegant rawness. True Music’s title track and “Visitor” displays this quality nicely, with the gentle calmness of the former and Phillips’ intriguing and expressive vocal delivery in the latter being the main highlights. With a more maximalist approach, the charming beauty of these two songs would have been most likely lost.
There is no denying that Phillips is very talented on the piano. The jazzy, free-flowing, and often upbeat nature of his playing is remarkable. On “Timeless Wonders Of The World” and “Try To Be Lonesome,” Phillips’ piano playing is on full display. They both have fascinatingly majestic melodies, with the latter playing with intriguing techniques.
The ambience, the clanking of the piano, Phillips’ room, and the outside environment play a huge role in True Music as they add substance and value to the overall sonic palette. They never feel like ‘imperfections,’ nor do they ever distract from anything else going on in their tracks. “Keep The Window Open” is the best example of this, as you can faintly hear various things in the background. As the title somewhat suggests keeping the window open can allow for some interesting sounds and surprises like the ones you can hear on the track.
Overall, Phillips’ True Music is a wonderful exploration of simplicity and shows that sometimes less is more.