The Noisemakers,
Bruce Hornsby's regular backing band since 2002, aren't credited on 2019's
Absolute Zero, which should be an indication that the album is a bit of a departure from the other records he's made during the 21st century. While
the Noisemakers haven't avoided adventure,
Absolute Zero feels as if it was made without any regard to boundaries, either in terms of style or approach. Such fearlessness is evident from the outset, when the record kicks off with a dexterous rhythm suitable for a vintage post-bop session, but it's too reductive to call
Absolute Zero an odyssey into straight jazz. That much is clear by "Cast Off," where
Hornsby acolyte
Justin Vernon lends not just harmonies but a digital cut & paste aesthetic that feels bracingly modern. Jazz and electronica aren't the only styles on
Absolute Zero, though.
Hornsby doesn't neglect folky Americana ("Echolocation") or melodic ballads ("Never in This House"), two of his trademarks since
the Range, but the startling thing about
Absolute Zero isn't that he's chosen to venture to the outer limits of his tastes, but that he's found the common ground between roots music, jazz, avant-garde, pop, and experimentation. It's this blend -- which is seamless, but quite dense, demanding the listener's attention -- that makes
Absolute Zero seem to have depths that aren't easily fathomed. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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