| Unwilling to Explain | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 22, 2019 [1] | |||
| Recorded | December, 2011 [1] | |||
| Venue | ||||
| Genre | Experimental rock, improvised music | |||
| Length | 43:35 [1] | |||
| Label | ORG Music [2] | |||
| Producer | Mike Watt, Dan McGuire [1] | |||
| Unknown Instructors chronology | ||||
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Unwilling to Explain is the fourth album by American improvisational band Unknown Instructors, [3] featuring Mike Watt (The Minutemen, fIREHOSE), [3] George Hurley (Minutemen, fIREHOSE), [3] J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), [3] and Dan McGuire. [3]
It was the first Unknown Instructors album that wasn't improvised [4] [5] and the first to feature Mascis on guitar instead of Baiza. [5] [6] The recording took quite some time with Watt recording bass tracks in 2011 and Hurley laying down the drums the following year. [7] Mascis' guitar work was recorded three years after that with Dan McGuire's vocals following. [7]
David Arnson of Music Connection called it "truly interesting" but warned "Your mileage may vary on the Tom Waits- and Bukowski-influenced bop narration. The real take- away is Mascis’ fluid and expressive guitar work." [8] Razorcake's Michael T. Fournier praised it saying it "hangs together better than any of the group’s other records I’ve heard." [7] Mark Hughson of Jersey Beat said "If you’re into on-the-fly jazz rock you’ll be hard pressed to find better indie star power." [9]