The Way Up cover

The Way Up

Released

The Way Up turned out to be the final Pat Metheny Group album, and it’s fitting, as the record felt like both a creative peak and a culmination of everything the band had been working toward for the prior quarter-century-plus. Structured as a through-composed suite, clocking in at just over an hour, the piece demonstrated how adept Metheny and pianist/co-composer Lyle Mays had grown at balancing complexity with accessibility, and meticulous writing with moments of inspired spontaneity. (Mays himself proudly called the record his “doctoral thesis.”) Built around a handful of recurring themes, including at least one that’s earworm-catchy, the work showcases the virtuosity of the supporting cast — including bassist Steve Rodby, drummer Antonio Sanchez, trumpeter-vocalist Cuong Vu and harmonica player Gregoire Maret — as it moves through a stunning array of textures, from futuristic fusion to Steve Reich-ian minimalism and placid balladry. Like the best of the PMG’s prior work, it feels coherent and melodically engaging even as it pushes the limits of genre and form.

Hank Shteamer

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