Aldcroft / Shaw / Sorbara: Remnants, Geoff Chapman,the Toronto Star, April 27, 2006

   

Want witty and weird, intense and exuberant, clever and mind-bending? This album from guitarist Ken Aldcroft, alto saxist Evan Shaw and drummer Joe Sorbara is all of that, uncompromisingly devoted to the new. You get a pungent taste of what the trio targets in its disc debut on the opening "Man Eating Elk With Blue Earring", the start of a lovely, unbridled canter through a large collection of musical forms and experimental cul-de-sacs.

Much is punctuated by creative moments of high-octane drama that maintains the mood of forceful exploration. It's all worth hearing, though the three group improvs amongn the 11 pieces are relatively tedious - but any ensemble that wants to cover Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" has to be noted.