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Dead Kenny Gs: Gorelick

Royal Potato Family

Brevity is the soul of wit, but it’s also the soul of Gorelick, the new EP from death-bop pioneers the Dead Kenny Gs. Weighing in at 17 minutes, without one song exceeding the 3:33 mark, Gorelick is a study in concision, and compactness. This minimalist streak extends to the band’s lineup, too; saxophonist Skerik doubles on keyboards, bassist Brad Houser brings the bari sax and percussionist Mike Dillon dishes out trap kit, tabla, vibes and vocals. Gorelick opens with its title track, which is a dark, droning miniature that refers to smooth sax man Kenneth Gorelick, aka Kenny G, as a “fascist pied piper.” The Dead Kennedys’ “Kill the Poor,” complete with a Sarah Palin shout-out, opens with a New Orleans-y, two-sax march and ends with a noisy, freejazz melee. “Trivial Assault” is a brutal slice of heavy-metal funk, spearheaded by Skerik’s strong, cathartic soloing. Ain’t nothing but a G thang.