“‘No New Tunes’ is considerably subtler [than ‘Quavers! Quavers! Quavers! Quavers!’]. It’s not particularly easy listening. Nothing ends with any kind of resolution. Tonalities lean toward harsh veering on abrasive; structures fall apart on a moment’s notice, but more elegantly than you would expect…it’s cool to see how these guys have such confidence in what they’re doing that they refuse to take each other seriously.”
Brent Black, ‘@CriticalJazz’ 10/11/12
“[‘No New Tunes’ is a] critics worst nightmare as trying to pigeon hole the sound here is next to impossible… This is what some critics mean when they use the phrase ‘cutting edge’ to describe a release… Lundbom manages to get his groove on with a hybrid swing while embracing the plethora of influences coming out of the jazz/rock sub genre… Lundbom is simply amazing while conducting a sonic exploratory on the visceral as well as the cerebral… Guaranteed to jump start your heart unless your [sic] waiting on your autopsy report.”
Erik Otis, ‘Sound Colour Vibration’ 09/30/12
“Lundbom is a guitarist whose compositions are powerful…channeling a violent approach to the guitar that is very hard to achieve. His knowledge of the fretboard is extensively grounded in many areas and the rest of his band falls right in line around him… Lundbom dismantles the guitar and rebuilds it into something completely brand new. It’s this type of diversion of the free jazz idiom that gives this album such a personal and unique feel. [‘The Other Third One’] is heavy as can be and it’s as if they captured the weight of a completely different genre around the fundamental musings of free jazz. JL&BVC are some of the best around and they have captured a state of energy that very few achieve with primarily acoustic instruments. No New Tunes is for the serious appreciator of next level sounds and top form musicianship. It’s also for those who love a big kick start in the morning and for those who love to flirt on the edge of beauty and insanity. This record smokes.”
Tim Niland, ‘Music and More’ 09/06/12
“Jon Lundbom and Big Five Chord are a very exciting modern jazz unit, playing big strapping improvisations, with the music expanding and combing styles and sensibilities… Everybody really puts the hammer down with pulsating bass, drums and guitar that rises and falls on the thermals of rhythm. [‘No New Tunes’ works] really well, with each member of the group working intuitively with each other and as an organic whole. They develop an interesting aesthetic concept that allows them to interact in a complimentary fashion.”
Paul Acquaro, ‘Free Jazz Blog’ 09/02/12
“Lundbom’s melodic ideas are jagged and rhythmic. He doesn’t play ones that are easy to digest, and his bandmates deliver aptly angular lines that push the boundaries of their instruments and musical notation. The feeling of being just on the edge of control… All in all, an excellent recording, bringing new ideas to what jazz guitar can be but not abandoning the rich legacy of jazz guitar.”
S. Victor Aaron, ‘Something Else’ 09/01/12
“The daring guitarist/composer Jon Lundbom is back at it again, meting out intense, unpredictable guerrilla jazz with his Big Five Chord quintet. …Lundbom himself is as diverse as a guitarist as he is writing and arranging his songs. He can articulate razor-sharp jazz lines (‘The Bad! Thing’), go avant-rock on [‘Talent for Surrender’] and pluck some soft phrases on the ballad ‘And Be Made Visible.’ …this is a jazzier record than other Big Five Chord offerings. Along with that, it’s a rawer, more direct record. It’s just as good as those other albums, though, because it’s got the same attitude and the same aptitude, the two things this band does so well.”
Glenn Astarita, ‘All About Jazz’ 01/09/12
★★★★
“Since 2003, [JL&BVC] have been crashing and slashing through the jazz-rock idiom, often lying on the perimeter of the avant-garde spectrum. …the music is often hard-edged and chockfull of off-kilter innuendoes and ballsy soloing excursions. …Lundbom’s intense phrasings and mind-altering solo spots can exude a semblance of systematic paranoia or command the ensemble like a diesel-powered automaton, wielding a mass of destruction through a heavily populated metropolis.”
Dave Wayne, ‘All About Jazz’ 11/23/11
★★★★ 1/2
“Lundbom dissects and reassembles jazz-rock fusion, grafting on bits of post-Albert Ayler free jazz and hard bop as he sees fit. …’Quavers! Quavers! Quavers! Quavers!’ represents a major step forward for JL&BVC. This is a band that, like MOPDTK, constantly takes musical risks and consistently comes up with inspired and spirited, all-original, poly-stylistic 21st Century jazz.”
Sergio Piccirilli, ‘El Intruso’ 10/14/11
Feature-length article and interview!
Read the full article (Spanish)
Read the interview (English)
Mike Shanley, ‘ShanleyOnMusic’ 07/08/11
“‘Quavers!’ [sic] starts on the wild side and stays there… Big Five Chord isn’t afraid to go for the throat if the music calls for it… This is high energy music, combining somewhat straight ahead foundations with a rock execution, and hopefully Lundbom will start getting more attention for his fresh perspective, both as a writer and player.”