The name “Geordie Greep” might strike you as a name belonging to the protagonist of some long-forgotten Dickens novel. In truth, the name belongs to one of the most exciting voices in the landscape of modern experimental rock. Geordie Greep is the former frontman of the critically acclaimed jazz-rock outfit black midi and has just recently delved into a solo career with the release of this new album, The New Sound. Musically tight, stylistically diverse, and exhilaratingly entertaining; Geordie Greep has completed the difficult task of creating a debut album that feels like an artist fully realizing their creative potential. Every song here is a complete statement — not a second is wasted. Just like with black midi, Greep takes his iconic show tune vocals and tempestuous musical style and puts it into contexts no one would have guessed he would delve into. Latin influences, primarily samba and salsa, pop up in MANY of the songs here. These musical surprises don’t just come off as intentional efforts by Greep to throw off the listener, as these genres complement the core songs tremendously. This proves that, for Greep, genre isn’t a boundary meant to be stepped around — it’s a reason to go as far as you can with your craft. The New Sound is one of the year’s most exciting albums, and it will stand tall as one of the most important albums for experimental rock, progressive rock, and jazz fusion.
