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Anna Butterss
Mighty Vertebrate
International Anthem - Cat No: IARC0086LP
- updated:2024-12-19
A leader album by guitarist Anna Butterss, a member of the best-selling band SML on International Anthem. It draws from the traditions of post-rock, Chicago jazz, and electronic music. Like XML, it also features rhythms and grooves inspired by Afrobeat. Expectations are high for this album, which promises to surpass SML. JEFF PARKER also appears on the album. International Anthem continues to produce wonderful music.
Track List
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1. Bishop
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2. Shorn
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3. Dance Steve (feat. Jeff Parker)
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4. Ella
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5. Lubbock
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6. Pokemans
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7. Breadrich
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8. Seeing You
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9. Counterpoint
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10. Saturno
Mighty Vertebrate is the International Anthem debut from Anna Butterss. The Adelaide born bassist / composer has been a first call for LA tour and studio work since relocating there in 2014 – racking up credits with notables across the experimental, jazz, and pop worlds alike – but their most notable contributions to the burgeoning LA scene have been as a member of both Jeff Parker’s ETA IVtet and rising proto-trance supergroup SML, who Pitchfork says “represents the thrilling next phase of a vibrant L.A. community.”
“I had just gotten off of a bunch of touring at the end of 2022 and just wanted to write music,” says Butterss. “The best way for me to do that, I’ve found, is to set myself a discreet and focused task."
I’m going to make a song where the bass doesn’t function in the role of a bass.
I’m going to work on this for an hour and then I’m going to stop.
I’m going to make a song that uses groups of three-bar phrasing.
I want to sample something and make it into a song.
I’m going to start with a drum machine.
The music itself reflects that structure beautifully, with the material being tightly
composed and melodically realized by Butterss well in advance of production concerns. Here they reconvene a group of trusted longtime collaborators to bring their compositions to fruition: Ben Lumsdaine (drums, guitar, production), Josh Johnson (sax), and Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), plus a smoking guest appearance from Jeff Parker. The breadth and scope of the results might have been difficult to achieve otherwise. From the Robbie-Shakespeare-in-groove-mode intro to the album opener “Bishop” to the spacious cinematic doom of “Seeing You”, there is a lot to wrangle into one cohesive concept. On Mighty Vertebrate, Butterss and crew do just that.
“I had just gotten off of a bunch of touring at the end of 2022 and just wanted to write music,” says Butterss. “The best way for me to do that, I’ve found, is to set myself a discreet and focused task."
I’m going to make a song where the bass doesn’t function in the role of a bass.
I’m going to work on this for an hour and then I’m going to stop.
I’m going to make a song that uses groups of three-bar phrasing.
I want to sample something and make it into a song.
I’m going to start with a drum machine.
The music itself reflects that structure beautifully, with the material being tightly
composed and melodically realized by Butterss well in advance of production concerns. Here they reconvene a group of trusted longtime collaborators to bring their compositions to fruition: Ben Lumsdaine (drums, guitar, production), Josh Johnson (sax), and Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), plus a smoking guest appearance from Jeff Parker. The breadth and scope of the results might have been difficult to achieve otherwise. From the Robbie-Shakespeare-in-groove-mode intro to the album opener “Bishop” to the spacious cinematic doom of “Seeing You”, there is a lot to wrangle into one cohesive concept. On Mighty Vertebrate, Butterss and crew do just that.
Anna Butter, a bassist and composer born in Adelaide, Australia, who is active primarily in the Chicago music scene. She has contributed to albums by Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, and Daniel Villarreal, and her album released under the name SML—featuring members associated with *International Anthem*—also garnered significant attention. This is her first solo album. Ben Lumsdaine, a drummer, engineer, and producer who has also collaborated with both Anna and Daniel, is featured on the album. Saxophonist Josh Johnson, who has joined the Chicago Underground Quartet, and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann are also members of SML. Jeff Parker makes a guest appearance. (Original Japanese text by Saito)