Next to the punk-jazz maelstrom of The Thing or the wild electricity of 1970s Miles Davis, the perky math-rock-infused jazz of Mercury Prize-friendly British groups like Polar Bear and Led Bib tends to sound pretty reined-in. But taken on its own terms, Led Bib’s latest is a witty and energetic collection of rockers and ballads. An entertaining foray into 70s cop show chase music, ‘Giant Bean’ avoids kitsch through its sheer exuberance, with Liran Donan’s electric bass hotly pursued by Toby McClaren’s cheeky organ. Saxophonists Pete Grogan and Chris Williams punctuate the action with slapstick squeals, before introducing a sweeping theme that takes the piece into more anthemic territory. ‘This Roofus’ employs the classic Ornette Coleman trick of having two horns playing a tightly knotted melody in close harmony, before opening up into improvised sections that allow the players to cut loose over a muscular, exploratory bass groove.

Led Bib - New Teles (Official Video)