Steve Bug: Noir
Poker Flat

One of the most interesting tidbits about Noir, the fifth long-player by Steve Bug, is that while the Poker Flat head honcho originally conceived of it as a concept album, he ultimately determined the concept to be too, quote, rigid, unquote. Perhaps that's another way of saying that once a certain number of pieces had been completed in accordance with the album's projected theme, Bug concluded that its overall mood would be overly monochromatic, not to mention dour and subdued, were he to hew too religiously to his initial concept. Some of that tone remains firmly in place on Noir, which might explain why the album, though immaculately crafted and produced over a three-year period, feels at times restrained, as if craving liberation.

Certainly the dramatic overture “Tell Me Why” exudes a brooding and mystery-laden feel that's consistent with the chiaroscuro style associated with film noir, even if the track's restrained intro eventually opens up into a more aggressive rhythmic attack. Unusual for a dance-oriented album, the also-ponderous “Poison of Choice” threads the bluesy shading of electric guitar playing in amongst its downtempo groove and synthesizers. The material works best when it casts off the shackles of the noir concept and simply lets go. By the time the third cut, “Serve Your Mistress,” ferociously digs into its groove, any thought of the album concept starts to fall by the wayside and the music breathes with a more natural fire and exuberance. The project's clubbier side also comes to the fore during “Those Grooves,” which kicks up some serious house steam for ten minutes, despite a needless tempo change that sees it slow to a near-crawl before the expected re-animation kicks in.

October 2012