The Hugh Hopper Band has been the ex-Soft Machine bassist's most fusion-oriented outfit of the 1990s.
Carousel was the band's second release for the Cuneiform label (the first was Meccano Pelorus in 1991, but they also recorded for Ponk and Voiceprint) and their first and only studio venture.
The album opens with a very straightforward number, "Shuffle Demons," maybe Hopper's most mainstream composition ever.
The reggae feel of "Sinister Toilet" pursues in the same positive direction.
Guitarist Patrice Meyer contributes one of the most interesting pieces, "Carousel": out of chaos rises a cyclic riff sped up and constantly transposed into a higher register, giving the impression of a carousel turning faster and faster.
Things get freer and darker on two collective improvisations, but the overall feeling of the album is best epitomized by "Lock, Stock and Barrel": it starts on an almost fanfare-like theme that eventually leaves to make room for a swinging tune with Caribbean overtones and an inspired solo by guest trombonist Robert Jarvis.
Carousel is a "feel-good" fusion album.
Nothing is very complicated, the licks stay catchy, but the result lacks the intensity found in Hopper-era Soft Machine or the bassist's later project Hughscore.
It might be Hopper's most accessible release.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shuffle DemonsHugh Hopper | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 07:26 | 17 MB | 48 MB |
| 2 | Sinister ToiletDionys Breukers, Kim Weemhoff | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 06:54 | 15 MB | 41 MB |
| 3 | CarouselPatrice Meyer | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 04:53 | 11 MB | 29 MB |
| 4 | Mais NonDionys Breukers, Kim Weemhoff | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 05:21 | 12 MB | 31 MB |
| 5 | Lock, Stock and BarrelHugh Hopper | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 06:42 | 15 MB | 39 MB |
| 6 | Convincing the SquirrelDionys Breukers, Hugh Hopper, Frank Van Der Kooy, Patrice Meyer, Kim Weemhoff | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 04:28 | 10 MB | 25 MB |
| 7 | Lux BetaHugh Hopper | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 07:15 | 16 MB | 41 MB |
| 8 | Sliding DogsHugh Hopper | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 04:36 | 10 MB | 27 MB |
| 9 | SonarDionys Breukers, Hugh Hopper, Frank Van Der Kooy, Patrice Meyer, Kim Weemhoff | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 03:19 | 7 MB | 18 MB |
| 10 | Wax LongaHugh Hopper | Hugh Hopper, Hugh Hopper Band | Play | 08:35 | 19 MB | 47 MB |
| 59 mins | 136 MB | |||||
| 59 mins | 351 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dionys Breukers | Composer, Keyboards |
| 2 | Philippe Dedieu | Engineer |
| 3 | Gus Hilton | Assistant Engineer |
| 4 | Hugh Hopper | Bass, Composer, Liner Notes, Primary Artist |
| 5 | Hugh Hopper Band | Primary Artist |
| 6 | Patrice Meyer | Composer |
| 7 | Paula Millet | Artwork, Design |
| 8 | Frank Van Der Kooy | Composer |
| 9 | Kim Weemhoff | Composer, Drums |
| 10 | Rob Williams | Engineer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |