No More Leroy is a band from NYC but is comprised of collaborators from all over. Ken Sackheim is the only permanent member and writes all the music. Back in 2018 Divide & Conquer reviewed Wild Rose and he is now back with Notes on Invisibility.
It’s hard to know where to start with this music. First of all I would say it’s very original sounding. It also could be considered world music because of the diverse blend of instruments. Each track has its own vibe and perhaps the one thing all the songs have in common is that they sound experimental in some way. Up first is “Bible Hill” which combines a walking bass line, lead guitar, organ and percussion. It's a whirlwind of sound that feels like a jam in some respects. I felt the song could have gone on forever in some sense. Things start to feel more experimental with “Notes on Invisibility” as he delves into unique time signatures and horns. Let's talk about those horns. I loved the single horn section that combined with the walking bass line. There are some unique vocal harmonies that sound a bit like what Yoko Ono used to do. It sounds like an improvised stream of voice. The technical playing is incredible. They sound in the pocket in what is a very complicated timing that is fast. “Perpetual Salvage” is where we are introduced to Eastern sounds. There is Eastern sounding percussion and what sounds like a sitar but could be a guitar. The song contains some incredible solos. It sounds like it could be a cello which is allowed to freely explore notes on the pulsing groove. “Klee's Electric Lake” is such a cool song. The groove drives here. I felt like it would work well in an action sequence in a movie. I really was not expecting lead vocals and then I heard some on “Poison Bell.” The song felt much slower than what came before and is moody, psychedelic and made me think of night. “Jungle 12” is ridiculously fast sounding. I have to wonder if that was a sped up drumming groove. It was so fast and precise. “Visiting Persephone” might be the highlight. There is emotional weight along the experimental nature of the other songs. The song revolves around some cerebral sounding pads, strings and much more. There is some incredible musicianship on this album. It’s what I call musicians music. It’s almost like you are missing something if you have zero knowledge about music theory. The technical and creative display here is more than impressive. I suggest busting out your best pair of headphones and trying to immerse yourself in the music. Recommended.
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