From the first blast of this album you know you’re in for a sonic assault and these guys provide it full on. This is their fourth album and it’s coming out on the U.S. label Cuneiform, the ones that brought us the altogether different Graham Collier album, Hoarded Dreams: Live At The Bracknell Jazz Festival 1983.

Emerging out of the jazz scene about the same time as the equally raucous Acoustic Ladyland, Mark Holub (drums), Liran Donin (bass) Toby McLaren (Rhodes and piano) have the added bonus of Chris Williams and Pere Grogan up front on “duelling alto saxophones”. The group originally met at Middlesex Uni and the education is evident for all to see on these nine tracks even if there was a jazz rule book, nobody has told them were to find it.

The line-up is similar set up to their other contemporaries Polar Bear but with the harsher punky sound of Acoustic Ladyland, Led Bib’s then contort with the avant-garde picking up the reins from 60s pioneers Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman.

All but two of the track on the album are written by Mark Holub, being ‘2.4:1’ and ‘Zone 4’ by Chris Williams) but when you say “written” Holub says, “we wanted to go into it really free, like we do live”. The opener ‘Yes, Again’ certainly sounds live but not at all meandering as ‘free’ is often perceived and experienced.

McLaren leads on the anarchic-punk-funk-groove of ‘Squirrel Carnage’, albeit Holub’s drums can lead as much as follow, with the saxes counterpointing the solos. This is a top tune and

As you can imagine, ‘Early Morning’ is a downtempo track that suits the acoustic basslines and whilst the sax sounds of the Seine’s left bank, there’s a underlying tension which is more Bull Ring underpass with the lights smashed out; fans of Cinematic Orchestra would go for this one with ‘Water Shortage’ coming a close second; McLaren flourishes on both towards the end to great effect.

That said, now the initial Death Jazz buzz has quieted end down, coming on the back of two brilliant “jazz” albums, Stonephace and Get The Blessing’s new album Bugs In Amber (released on the same day!)

I’d have thought this is going to get loads of attention from the leftfield jazz types; ‘Sweet Chilli’ isn’t their Latin track but it’s got the south of the board spirit; the boarder in this instance being the River Thames as the album was recorded in SE1.

Goof one for the mixtape is ‘2:4:1’ that’s on the ambient tip and the most synth/electronic of the set but getting back to the free-punk ‘Call Centre Labyrinth’ is more of a merry-go-round of noise; Holub and Seb Roachford are the British Max Roach/Art Blakey’s of their generation?

Talking of Seb (who was most recently featured on the Byrne/Eno Everything That Happens Will Happen Today), ‘Flat Pack Family’ is the most full on Acoustic Ladyland type track (if not more Acoustic Ladyland than Acoustic Ladyland) and the CD ends on the opus of the end of the line (for most of us), ‘Zone 4’.

When you think that Led Bib’s collective experiences hails from the cultural reference points of New Jersey, Israel and Edmonton (that’s North London for the uninitiated, near Tottenham) we should guess/know that the Led Bib world is very much their own. And Sensible Shoes is in glorious a small world of its own.

The UK and European tour dates are as below and I think we should note, what a great cover it is as it so evokes the spirit of 60s art and jazz adventure. Stunning stuff!

Forthcoming Gigs:
May 20th - Album launch, The Arts Theatre Club, 50 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 4SQ Doors 7:30PM/ Led Bib on stage 10PM £6/£4 Advance
Tickets from www.theorchestrapit.com/shop 020 7287 9236
May 22nd - Paradox Tilburg, Podium Voor Actuelle Muziek, Telegraafstraat 62 5038 BM - Tilburg 9PM 10 Euros/8 Euros concession +33 013-5432266
May 23rd - Bimhuis (recorded for NPS Radio 6), Piet Heinkade 3, 1019 BR Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 15 Euros +33 020 788 218uros/ 8:30PM
June 4th - Norwich Arts Centre, St. Benedicts Street, Norwich NR2 4PG 8:30 PM ₤10/₤8 concessions 01603-660-352
June 5th - Bath Fringe Festival, Chapel Arts Centre, St James’s Memorial Hall, Lower Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1QR ₤10/₤9 advance/₤8 concessions 8PM: 01225 461700
June 6th - The Bluecoat, School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BX 8PM ₤9/₤7 concession 0151 702 5324
June 7th - The Jazz Bar, 1A Chambers St, Edinburgh, EH1 ₤6/₤5 conc +44 131 220 4298
June 8th - Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow £5/₤4 concession (0141) 2222254
June 9th - Mint Lounge, 46 Oldham St, Manchester, M4 1LE, 7:30pm ₤8 0161 228 1495
June 10th - Dempsey’s, 15 Castle Street, Riverside, Cardiff, CF10 1BS 8PM ₤5/₤4 concession
+44 29 2025 2024
June 11th - The Yardbird, Paradise Place, Birmingham, B3 3HJ 8PM Free entry, (0121) 212 2524
June 12th - Taylor John’s House, Coal Vaults, Canal Basin, Coventry CV1 4LY 8pm ₤8 024 7655 9958
June 24th -Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Square, London N16 8JH 8pm ₤8 020 7254 4097

Reviewed: Led Bib - Sensible Shoes (Cuniform) Cat. No. Rune283 Release date: 5th May 2009
Tracklisting
1. Yes, Again (4:55)
2. Squirrel Carnage (7:11)
3. Early Morning (7:10)
4. Sweet Chilli (5:22)
5. 2.4:1 (Still Equals None) (5:56)
6. Call Centre Labyrinth (7:00)
7. Water Shortage (7:12)
8. Flat Pack Fantasy (4:50)
9. Zone 4 (9:07)

Links:
www.ledbib.com
www.vortexjazz.co.uk
www.cuniformrecords.com
Press quotes for Sensible Shoes so far:
“Rarely have two saxes, keyboard, bass and drums sounded so dangerous yet so compelling” Observer Music Monthly
“…one cool mutha of a death-jazz-cum-math-punk-freakout, as if Mike Patton had his wicked way with John Zorn” Time Out
“Veering from wild, Downtown-style free improvisation to rock-worthy riffola, with the odd subtle, sensitive moment thrown in too, it’s a hands-down triumph” The Independent
“…like a gale of fresh air” The Guardian
“Sensible Shoes sounds very much like a jazz classic” Metro
“Almost certainly this year’s token jazz Mercury Prize nominee” City Life
“…highly energised studio album that reflects their reputation for adventurous experiment” The Scotsman
“Like a wake up call from an air-raid siren” Irish Tribune
“…altogether excellent album” All About Jazz
“It all adds up to an invigorating listen and quite a prospect as a live experience” The Herald
Led Bib - 18th April “Jazz with a punk aesthetic. Pulsating with raw energy. Led Bib’s driving at full throttle”: QEHall Ether 08