The names associated with now defunct EG label starting with its creator and mastermind Brian Eno seem to be functioning well and still exerting musical influence. Jon Hassel, Harold Budd, even Arto Lindsay are still showing their musical excellence. At one point, one of the rare names that seemed to be lost in the fog was Simon Jeffes’ Penguin Cafe Orchestra. A musically quirky but immensely enjoyable project bordering any form of popular and classical music imaginable. Listening to their albums, you had the feeling that the music is going to fall apart at any moment. It never did.
Simon Jeffes passed away in 1997, but his music still stands as one of the more memorable variation on modern classical, or any other music. Luckily, his son Arthur realized that and decided to resurrect not only the band but also the music concept initiated by his father. Dropping the orchestra from the name was just one of the signs that he is not just going to simply emulate what his father did, but give his own touch (and those playing along with him). While the previous two efforts were showing the growing pains of following in somebody else’s footsteps, the latest Penguin Cafe effort, The Imperfect Sea shows full assurance and growth. It also shows that Arthur Jeffes made a right decision to follow in his father’s footsteps.
The quality of this music lies partly with Arthur’s vision, but also with quite renowned lineup he assembled to try to make this ‘imperfect sea’ less so - members of Suede, Gorillaz Razorlight, Florence + The Machine show that they can handle musically almost anything that is thrown at them, and that is definitely not the music their fans and listeners would expect from them. What is the most attractive quality of this album is the seamlessness of the mood it creates. A perfect example is Control 1 (Interlude), a cross between Philip Glass, Harold Budd, and Moondog. Imperfect? No way. The change Arthur seems to have made in contrast to his father is the obvious assurance in composition and playing. Simon Jeffes wore fragility on his sleeve, Arthur wants you to discover it through his intricate music.
If you are getting a bit tired of all your late night music favorites, Penguin Cafe’s Imperfect Sea might of the trick.
