Love Hurts marks guitarist
Julian Lage's third trio date for Mack Avenue. The previous two,
Arclight (2016) and
Modern Lore (2018), were with bassist
Scott Colley and drummer/vibraphonist Kenny Wollesen. The
Love Hurts sessions were inspired by some live dates where
Lage and bassist Jorge Roeder (who worked with
Lage on 2009's
Sounding Point) were joined by
Bad Plus drummer Dave King. The trio recorded at the Loft (
Wilco's recording studio in Chicago).
Lage set down his trademark Telecaster for this date and picked up
Jeff Tweedy's Gretsch Duo Jet instead. Cut live from the floor in mostly first takes, these ten tracks -- produced by
Lage -- were completed in a day and a half.
The program is exclusively made up of covers ranging from rock to jazz and country, all completely rearranged by
Lage. Set opener "In Heaven," is a shadowy ballad penned by
Peter Scott Ivers.
Lage slowly and purposefully articulates the melody one ringing note at a time while Roeder engages in swirling arco pulses before King shuffles in and shifts the tune toward a slow blues. Next is a fleeting, intensely fast read of
Ornette Coleman's "Tomorrow Is the Question," also begun as a duet between the guitarist and drummer in near bop cadence before Roeder adds his quick walking bass line and it begins to swing. It's followed by a storming, wildly imaginative version of "The Windup" -- the first of two
Keith Jarrett tunes included.
Lage draws connections between
Jarrett's music and combines it with vintage-sounding country and rockabilly. (One can hear traces of
Pat Metheny and
Danny Gatton alongside
Lage's trademark phrasing.) Later the trio takes on
Jarrett's "Encore A," commencing with King's solo funky drum breaks. The flow between ringing, slightly distorted guitar, a slippery, bumping bass line, and rock and funk drum grooves is infectious. "Lullabye," is one of two originals included; it's a lilting, atmospheric Americana-esque track with gorgeous bass and drum interplay. Jimmy Giuffre's classic "Trudgin" is given an unusual arrangement that commences as noirish, rootsy blues and moves into dramatic, spiky dissonance and ringing, spacy psychedelia. The title track is a reverent yet emotionally redolent reading of the Boudleaux Bryant number covered by everyone from the
Everly Brothers,
Gram Parsons, and Scottish hard rockers
Nazareth.
Lage plays each lyric note attentively, as if he is listening for something hidden. His solo is also built on the theme and articulates it with multi-stringed voicings and open strings. The guitar break in his own "Circles" is where he dazzles listeners with his string-wrangling dexterity and improv chops. He offers a playful, multi-hued version of the standard "I'm Getting Sentimental over You" followed by
Roy Orbison's "Crying," delivered with the sensitivity of a singer; he expands the tune's dynamic frame by engaging pop, squalling guitar rock, country, and jazz with an illuminating and playful creativity. Of all the records in
Lage's catalog,
Love Hurts sounds like it was the most fun to make; in turn, it is a complete delight for listeners. ~ Thom Jurek