Wolfgang Press’s dark moods had long since been established in earlier work but Bird Wood Cage brought a new level of command; without sounding like either an industrial album or a dance one, the album burned with the intensity of the fusion, all driving rhythms, shaded textures and vocals that weren’t barked or shouted but were coolly sung-spoken or sinuously commanding. “King of Soul” started things off with a twisted salute to the concept and the trio were off from there from the hard funk kick of “Kansas” to the raucous roil of “Shut That Door.”

– Ned Raggett