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This week’s Milwaukee Artist of the Week is Evacuate The Earth, a progressive jazz trio out of left field with a sound that is probably unlike anything you’ve heard before. Yes, you read that right, this is a jazz group. You may have to keep that in the back of your mind at all times, because while listening to their latest album “This Is Not A Test”, the band keeps you guessing as to which direction they’re going to take you next. Also, there are very few elements of traditional jazz, and that got me hooked on this album in the first place. Not to discredit the band’s jazz roots, because this is very much a jazz album, but there are plenty of genre-bending moments throughout that make this album a solid listen for fans of hip hop and rock, as well.

There are heavy guitars on this album. There’s consistent grooves, reminiscent of hip hop at times. There are drums that build you up to prepare for a metal song to break out. This is avante-garde, experimental music as it should be. This thing is a trip to listen to, but it’s definitely worth your time. From the frantic opener “Warnings” to the head nodding “It’s Real” to everything else that entails this album, you really feel like the world may be ending. There’s also some punk and new wave influence here; what Evacuate The Earth is doing is very against the grain. It kind of sounds to me like what I assume a modern Talking Heads would be making if they released an album today. That’s a very big compliment, but they are well deserving of it.

Another important thing to point out about this album is that the longest song is four minutes and 23 seconds long. That’s very important in the context of jazz, much less experimental music. This isn’t a collection of long, drawn out jam sessions. There is an energy going on throughout the release, and it’s easy to pick up on that. I think that is a major benefit for a record, because it makes a genre that might be off putting at first easy to digest. This is a collection of moments, and start to finish treat. Check out “This Is Not A Test” below:

For more Evacuate The Earth, check them out on Facebook and on their website.