Don Caballero: What Burns Never Returns

The Pittsburgh band Don Caballero always seems to be breaking up, but every time those reports surface, the group pops up with a new bass player and another last gasp. Hey, keep 'em coming. What Burns Never Returns is Don Caballero's third collection of abstract instrumental music, and, with only one song over nine minutes long, it's much shorter than its predecessor, Don Caballero 2. With roots in punk, jazz, and prog-rock, the band blends those sounds with the occasional filigree of crunch metal, and each song is hyper-structured. Musical themes fade in and out, apparently sliding out of existence only to resurface when least expected. Given the group's proclivity for longer compositions, this can happen several times per song. Listening to What Burns requires a bit more patience and attention to detail than most jrock fans—and even jazz fans—are used to, but it contains enough high points to make it worth the extra effort. It's not for everyone, but anyone who has taken pleasure in a King Crimson or Scorn album will most likely enjoy this.