Mighty Vertebrate

Description

Mighty Vertebrate is the debut album by Anna Butterss, an international anthem. The bassist/songwriter was the first to tour and perform in Los Angeles since her arrival there in 2014, accumulating credits with figures from the experimental, jazz, and pop worlds. But her most notable contributions to the emerging Los Angeles scene have been as a member of Jeff Parker's ETA IVtet and the rising proto-trance supergroup SML, which Pitchfork describes as "representing the next exciting phase of a vibrant Los Angeles community." The music itself beautifully reflects this structure, with the material being tightly composed and melodically realized by Butterss. Here, she brings together a trusted group of long-time collaborators to bring her compositions to life: Ben Lumsdaine (drums, guitar, production), Josh Johnson (saxophone), and Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), along with a fiery appearance from Jeff Parker. From the groove-laden intro by Robbie Shakespeare on the album's opening track, "Bishop," to the spacious cinematic doom of "Seeing You," there is much to gather into a coherent concept.