V2.0

Brilliant album. I bought the deluxe version because it included the addition of three songs (Break, In Amber, and Wash) and I wanted everything these guys have created. My favorite songs on the album are Garden Dog Barbeque and Hoponono but every song is fantastic. Discovering these guys has been thrilling and I look forward to hearing more from them.

From Manchester, England, this innovative jazz trio of pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Nick Black, and drummer Rob Turner are exploring the edges expanded by The Bad Plus, Nik Bärtsch, and E.S.T. This album. v2.0, is indeed the second of thus far three (the last having caught the ear of Blue Note Records), and we find chordal percussive piano, ricky-tic snare drumming, and deep sonorous bass picking and bowing. Melodies are somewhat sing-song and modal and the driving rhythm is staccato. This is exciting music that captures attention. Within its limited, minimalistic style is yet a universe. The music is imbued with trance-inducing quality, a chordal-drone effect, which explains its attractiveness. This contemporary free jazz taps deep emotional hubs. The listener will not walk away humming a tune, will not be awed by the complex interweaving improvisations, but instead will be fulfilled by a musical adventure in the exotic land of self.

Having heard two of their arrangements on Later with Jools Holland I was blown away by the dynamic range of this trio.. I think of it as Prog Jazz but only really know it is complex, beautiful, soft, energetic and largely unexpected in its many turns. This is the second CD of theirs I bought. I like both but this one's a step above. The recording quality is top-notch and the trio are unbelievably tight while throwing very unique change-ups via time signatures, discordant and deep/beautiful elements, tempo and energy shifts. The piano leads most of the music but the trio is so tight, synching and countering each other in delightful ways as they trip merrily down the road. Highly recommended.

Reminds me of a combination of Bad Plus and Esbjorn Svensson (EST), RIP from a scuba diving accident in Sweden. Has a great vibe and well worth a few listens to mine the finer points.

I went backwards a bit, got the 3rd release (A Humdrum Star) BEFORE I got V2.0 -- some one has written that Go Go Penguin's music is haunting -- I'll go one step further and called even TERRIFYING!!!! In the most beautiful sense, mind you ... BUY MUSIC FROM THESE LADS. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, KEEP LISTENING UNTIL IT TERRIFIES YOU. Then you'll love it (and go watch them on YouTube too).

One day I was on YouTube searching for one of my favorite subjects - Penguins - and GoGo Penguin videos showed up... Yes, I like Jazz too... And I was blown away by the group... Tight, complex, melodic, and some all over. So - I had to get the CD... It was Garden Dog Barbecue that did it for me... Have a listen!

The most interesting album I have listened to. I put it on repeat . It's almost it's own genre.

Their music will blow you away, I call it punk jazz