By: David Schultz

For the last couple years, the New York based four-piece Licorice has prowled the Manhattan concert halls and jazz clubs working their magic at clubs like The Knitting Factory and the legendary Blue Note. Until recently, the only way to listen to Licorice in your homes was to download the rare show from the Live Music Archives or selected tracks from their Web site. With A Million Grains Of Sand, their debut EP, David Lott (guitars), Chad Dinzes (keyboards), Matt Epstein (bass) and Josh Bloom (drums) have emerged from the studio with a finely crafted disc that should whet appetites for a larger taste.

Recorded in Brooklyn with producer Josh Kessler, Licorice’s initial foray into the studio nicely showcases the fine musicianship that has become Licorice’s calling card. Breathy vocals aside, Grains Of Sand bristles with the band’s inventiveness, utilizing the orchestral work of Dave Eggar, incorporating horns and breaking out the odd African chant.

Fans of Licorice’s stage show will be disappointed by the brevity of the finishing coda of “A Million Grains Of Sand” but can rejoice in the reenergized versions of “Freeze,” which has blossomed into wonderful strident work and “What’s Your Status In London,” which creatively melds Lott’s guitar and Dinzes’ keyboards on the avant-garde infused intro. Bloom’s drums snap throughout the disc and along with Epstein’s wickedly intricate bass line send “All Kings Fall” galloping along. With the exception of the Coldplay-styled peaks and valleys of “Bunnies,” Dinzes’ keyboards aren’t as boldly presented as in Licorice’s live shows.

Labels: Licorice