Hedvig Mollestad Trio - Smells Funny
by Adrian Janes
published: 26 / 3 / 2019

Label:
Rune Grammofon
Format: CD
intro
Norwegian group Hedvig Mollestad Trio skilfully blend jazz and rock in music that reaches the head before the heart
In a decade-long career, ‘Smells Funny’ marks the Hedvig Mollestad Trio’s sixth album since 2011. It’s a record which confirms that they are as technically proficient as they are prolific, the style of the band’s name as well as the approach to music itself more characteristic of the jazz world than that of rock. Despite a honed mutual understanding, this proficiency can sometimes lead into the labyrinths of self-indulgence. For example, ‘First Thing To Pop Is The Eye’ (yes, they do have a penchant for amusing titles) at points meanders, although the dexterous drumming of Ivar Loe Bjørnstad and the John McLaughlin-like complexity and intensity of Mollestad’s guitar are quite something to behold. Bassist Ellen Brenken too is no Noel Redding, overshadowed by her band-mates. Notably on ‘Sugar Rush Mountain’ she achieves the feat of laying down a firm foundation that flows, while on ‘Beastie, Beastie’ she provides notes as agile as Mollestad’s frenetic fret-shredding, even as there is a sense of control to the whole piece. Though ‘Bewitched, Dwarfed and Defeathered’ begins with a gritty riff that offers the hardest rock moment on the album, it too moves much closer to jazz territory with Brenken’s speedy bass and spurts of notes from Mollestad’s guitar that again recall the Mahavishnu Orchestra maestro. The most musically satisfying track though is the serenely lyrical ‘Jurasek’, evoking Jeff Beck at his most poignant. Yet that also suggests the problem with this album, for me: though there are moments of real excitement in hearing such accomplished players, too often it’s music to be in awe of rather than in love with. The free jazz freak-out of the surely ironically named ‘Lucidness’, which is anything but lucid, is definitely in the former camp. But it should too be said that one day the automatic references to male musical precursors, as in this review, must expand to include Hedvig Mollestad and Ellen Brenken as guitar goddesses.
Track Listing:-
1 Beastie, Beastie2 First Thing to Pop Is the Eye
3 Jurásek
4 Sugar Rush Mountain
5 Bewitched, Dwarfed and Defeathered
6 Lucidness
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/HedvigMollestadTrio/https://hedvigmollestadtrio.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/HedvigMollestad
https://instagram.com/HedvigMollestadtrio/
Label Links:-
http://www.runegrammofon.com/https://www.facebook.com/Rune-Grammofon-267695363296413
Have a Listen:-
digital downloads
soundcloud
reviews |
Ding Dong, You’re Dead (2021) |
![]() |
Baffling and energetic cross genre album from Norwegian act Hedvig Mollestad Trio, which combines loud krautrock, prog, jazz and garage punk rock |
Black Stabat Mater (2016) |
Enfant Terrible (2014) |
All of Them Witches (2013) |
Shoot! (2011) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Robby Krieger - Set The Night on Fire, Living, Dying, And Playing Guitar with The DoorsBoomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Lida Husik - Interview
Cathal Coughlan - Interview
Rick Wakeman - Interview
Peter Doherty and Frederic Lo - Cavern Club, Liverpool, 27/3/2022
Cliff Richard - Not Fade Away
Simon Bromide - Interview
Candlelight Tribute to Coldplay - Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, 1/4/2022
Wolfgang Flur - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Rupert Wates - For The PeopleBanjo Jen - Fine Line
Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri - The Long Ride Home
Dead South - Easy Listening for Jerks Parts 1 and 2
Bonham-Bullick - Bonham-Bullick
Family - A Song for Me
Loop - Sonancy
Stereophonics - Oochya!
Weather Station - How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars
John Mayall - The Sun is Shining Down
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Adrian P
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Carl Bookstein
Chris O'Toole
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank