Album Review: Mrs. Fun – The Summit

Outside of the classical realm – which is a different bag altogether – when most people think of live music, they picture either a band or a solo artist. Duos are comparatively rare unless it’s an acoustic-guitar thing or something similar. So their musical configuration alone sets Mrs. Fun apart from most. But that’s merely the beginning. Connie Grauer primarily plays keyboards, but adds in keyboard bass (a la Ray Manzarek) and guitar. Kim Zick lays down the beat, though phrasing it in that manner does her an injustice.

What Mrs. Fun does is a kind of avant garde melange that folds in jazz, punk, no wave, dub and much else. The duo sounds like a three-, four- or even five-piece group, so complex is their sonic stew. There’s a free jazz character to their original material, bu it’s delivered with a structure that free jazz (deliberately) lacks.

And Mrs. Fun doesn’t meander. “Asteroid 1994” suggests what Sun Ra might have sounded like had it just been him (with Grauer’s musical gear) and an ace drummer. But then “Pandemic” starts out with a cheery, whimsical character before veering into a cross between surf ‘n’ spy, Eno/Byrne and some of the more outré keyboard stylings of Chick Corea. And the curve balls keep flying: “Memory Hoops” feels like a classic jazz record with the turntable set on 16 r.p.m. “Zoila the Magnificent” is some delightfully accessible musical dialogue (Dave Brubeck style) in a between keys – sounding like Rhodes, then subsonic Moog, then both – and Zick’s expressive drum work.

Listening to Grauer’s nimble and inventive keys, or luxuriating in Zick’s command of percussion are both rewarding experiences. Taking them together is truly special. “The Haunting” sounds like its title, sinister and atmospheric and just right for a soundtrack. “The Jury” lightens the mood, striking a deft balance between abstract and melodic as it unfolds over nearly eight minutes. “Indispensable Feeling” gives the listener the sonic experience of being right there with Mrs. Fun. Grauer’s melancholy vocals fit her lyrics perfectly. “The Summit” takes time to develop; when it does, it shows that in an album full of intriguing composition delivered with wit and style, Mrs. Fun has save the best for last.

Challenging to be sure, The Summit will reward adventurous listeners on the hunt for something different but still tethered (deliberately and in the best possible way) to melody.