New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges” is the second in a series of three records by multi-reedist Colin Stetson, and arguably his most well-known solo work. Released in 2011, the album features some of Stetson’s most haunting songs he’s ever made, with some paired with incredible poetry-like lyricism by avant-garde pop artist Laurie Anderson.
A couple songs stand out above others, one of which is “Fear of the unknown and The Blazing Sun.” It features particularly chilling lyrics from Anderson that seem to allude to reaching out to the ghost of a loved one, with Stetson’s unique and intense saxophone playing almost sounding like rumbling thunder the moment it enters. The other standout is “The righteous wrath of an honorable man,” which oddly enough became popular on Tik-Tok for a time despite it being of a fairly inaccessible sound.
In this work, Stetson flaunts his superhuman lung capacity and performs some of the most intense jazz that the genre has to offer, striking a perfect balance between the macabre and utter beauty. This album is a must for anyone wishing to get out of their comfort zone and explore the extremes that jazz has to offer.
Rating: 9/10
