Soundtracks, Vol. 2

by Sean WestergaardThe already eclectic Marc Ribot may have released his widest-reaching album to date with Soundtracks, Vol. 2. From neo-Dixieland to spooky electronica to solo shakuhachi, Ribot turns in a head-spinning program of disparate genres that hang together surprisingly well as an album. There's also a faux-African highlife piece ("Flatbush Eyes"), kind of surfy klezmer ("House of Mirrors"), and a couple soul tunes ("Blue Party" and the aptly titled "Green Party," which sounds like Ribot's take on the Hi Records sound). "Nausea" sounds something like a circus carnival playing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," while "Pensando" is a pretty solo acoustic guitar piece. Ribot's guitar credentials have never been in doubt, but his recent works for Tzadik is showing him to be an impressive composer with a broad palette as well.