Recording: The Mike Smith Company

Artist: The Mike Smith Company

Song: Famous Wildlife Movies 1

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), October 23, 2013.

The Mike Smith Company - Famous Wildlife Movies 1 [Part I]

The Mike Smith Company - Famous Wildlife Movies 1 [Part II]

Full review to follow. It's been just over a year since Mike Smith dissolved his "prog-Americana" group Muskox. As always, though, he's been busy — touring distant lands, playing some keybs, playing some bass, and working on some new compositions. He mustered a large group, nine members deep, to try a few of them out (for the record: Ali Berkok, piano; Jake Oelrichs, drums; Jamie Drake, percussion; D. Alex Meeks, percussion; Pete Johnston, electric bass; Jay Hay, bari sax + flute; Tom Richards, trombone; Jeremy Strachan, guit + flute) and there was plenty cool stuff over two sets. This long piece, suitable to soundtrack the nature clips of your choice, starts off like a lion resting in the shade before springing into action but ends like that time Shaft wrestled that crocodile.

Recording: Muskox

Artist: Muskox

Song: Muskox Jr.

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), October 14, 2012.

Muskox - Muskox Jr.

Full review to follow. Like Chipper Jones bowing out after a 124 OPS+ season, Mike Smith has decided to retire his chamber-prog ensemble while they are still a formidable force. That left an undercurrent of sadness to this wrap-up show at The Tranzac, but it was still a light-hearted and spirited time. Mars' mountains were listed, Joni Mitchell's spirit was called upon (in a room just a stone's throw from her old digs!) and the band's friendly competition with Rush was finally brought to an end. After the fact, the music still lingers.