{"product_id":"fly-or-die-ii-bird-dogs-of-paradise","title":"FLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ejaimie branch’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eFLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, originally released in the fall of 2019, was hugely anticipated in its time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRoughly a year before its release, and following the success of her debut \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/intlanthem.bandcamp.com\/album\/fly-or-die\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eFly or Die\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e album, branch whisked her incredible quartet across Europe for a string of performances. Across that November 2018 tour, the group stretched a songbook in-process to its limit, improvising en modo deconstructivo, tugging at the music’s edges and relentlessly morphing the sound of a four-fold liberation machine that included branch (trumpet), \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChad Taylor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (drums), \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Ajemian\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (bass), and newcomer \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLester St. Louis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (cello), who had recently replaced Tomeka Reid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMost of\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e bird dogs of paradise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was recorded in studio at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTotal Refreshment Centre\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e over three days, and live at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCafé OTO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e over two nights that same week – at the tail end of the tour.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe album itself captures a very significant moment in the arc of branch's band. St. Louis’s presence had provided a fresh injection of virtuosic curiosity, and the interplay between him and Ajemian rejiggered the crew’s string-driven multi-rhythmic plonk swing while also refreshing their alternately aggressive and melodious heavy-bite bowing with an expanded pocket. It was a highly fertile foundation for branch to experiment and explore, reach for the nether regions of her instrument, and continue to focus and refine her flagship ensemble into a wholly original sound.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003ebird dogs of paradise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e also introduced the wider world to branch’s singing voice. “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eprayer for amerikkka pt. 1 \u0026amp; 2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e” - written and first performed by branch in Paris on the night of the 2018 US midterm elections - has since become a rallying cry for those who share her sense of justice in a world controlled by those who are seemingly unconcerned with it. And on “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elove song\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\" (for assholes and clowns), branch shows us her cards with a wink and a smile. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e“So much beauty lies in the abstract of instrumental music,”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e branch says in the album’s original liner notes, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e“but being this ain’t a particularly beautiful time, I’ve chosen a more literal path. The voice is good for that.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe IA11 Edition of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eFLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e comes on classic black 140-gram vinyl LP (pressed at Pallas in Germany, with lacquers cut by Daniel K at SST) inside a heavyweight reverse-board jacket, with a 16-page 11x11\" insert booklet featuring previously-unpublished photos, two sets of new liner notes – the first by jaimie’s mom, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoledad “Sally” Branch\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, as told to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKate Branch\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and the second by Fly or Die bassist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Ajemian\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e – plus IARC 2025 obi strip and printed poly-lined printed inner-sleeve.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Redeye","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53443261202711,"sku":"IARC-0027X","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0996\/6983\/6055\/files\/FLYORDIEII.jpg?v=1776725650","url":"https:\/\/sisyphusrecordworks.com\/products\/fly-or-die-ii-bird-dogs-of-paradise","provider":"Sisyphus Record Works","version":"1.0","type":"link"}