Well there you have it: the very antithesis of blandness and playing to formula. There is such a cram and collision of sound on Phalanx Ambassadors, a boisterous, uneasy sense of vitality, clawing at chords, rampaging off on mad solos... pianist, keyboardist, composer Matt Mitchell is as reliable as ever in his anarchic disregard for neat little solutions. Quite a band of star left-field bandleaders he has gathered with him on this new album from Pi records: Miles Okazaki on guitars, Patricia Brennan on vibraphone and marimba, Kim Cass on bass, and Kate Gentile on drums with producer David Torn in tow. Turn this mighty effort up loud.