Central Market

Personnel: Tyondai Braxton (vocals, guitar, kazoo, piano, electric harpsichord, synthesizer, bass guitar, electronics); Caleb Burhans (violin, viola, waterphone); Pauline Kim (violin); Spencer Swain (electric violin); Clarice Jensen (cello); Keith Souza (harmonica); Matt Mead (trumpet).
Recording information: Brooklyn Recording, Brooklyn, NY; Machines With Magnets.
At the time of CENTRAL MARKET's release, Tyondai Braxton was best known as a member of proggy post-rockers Battles, who earned so much acclaim for their 2007 debut album MIRRORED that many of their fans might not have known of Braxton's decade-plus of work as an avant-garde solo artist. As impressive as 2009's CENTRAL MARKET's compositions and arrangements are (which is very), the most remarkable thing about the album is its playfulness. A joyful impatience runs through almost every track, as if Braxton can't wait for listeners to hear what's coming around the bend. Over the course of the album, he nods to composers and arrangers ranging from Igor Stravinsky, Bernard Hermann and Brian Eno to Carl Stalling as he blends modern classical, prog-rock, hip-hop and electronic music with ease. CENTRAL MARKET is a tour de force that only grows more fascinating with repeated listens.