K Mart Special

K Mart Special

Bagpipes, theremin, and the accordion…some instruments are simply disadvantaged, i.e. people really hate them. But when used in certain settings, even these ugly ducklings can sound like swans. So what do you do with an organ that sounds almost as crunchy as Elaine Stritch’s voice? The Ken Clark Organ Trio decided to play some rather… Read more »

Written By

NewMusicBox Staff

Bagpipes, theremin, and the accordion…some instruments are simply disadvantaged, i.e. people really hate them. But when used in certain settings, even these ugly ducklings can sound like swans. So what do you do with an organ that sounds almost as crunchy as Elaine Stritch’s voice? The Ken Clark Organ Trio decided to play some rather swanky, yet downright gritty jazz. But it’s not all rasp here—actually the overall impact is one of cool restraint. It’s not something I would call cheap, as suggested by the track’s title “K Mart Special,” but there is definitely something tawdry going on here—almost sexy, but in a really creepy way. Let’s just say is something like the gap between Lauren Hutton’s teeth or Cindy Crawford’s mole and just leave it at that.

—RN