Released 10 years ago
It's Hard
The Bad Plus · 2016
49 min · 11 tracks · jazz
A daring blend of jazz improvisation with unexpected pop and rock covers that recontextualize familiar melodies.
Top tracks — play these first
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Maps — This track opens the album with a hauntingly beautiful rendition that transforms the original's emotional depth into an intricate jazz exploration.
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Time After Time — The band’s interpretation turns this classic into a mesmerizing journey, blending rhythmic complexity with melodic sensitivity that showcases their improvisational skills.
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The Beautiful Ones — Their version elevates Prince’s iconic song into a dramatic exercise in tension and release, highlighting both the lyrical poignancy and rich harmonic textures.
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Don’t Dream It’s Over — This cover stands out for its dynamic interplay between piano and bass, transforming a nostalgic hit into a fresh, contemplative jazz piece.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
InstrumentalThe album's inventive covers and strong craftsmanship highlight its unique jazz interpretation.
What we noticed
- Tracks like 'Maps' and 'Time After Time' maintain recognizable melodies while introducing complex harmonies and rhythms.
- The arrangement often shifts dynamics dramatically within tracks, creating moments of tension followed by release.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- unexpected twists on familiar tunes
- playful reinterpretations of classics
- varied pacing across tracks
- improvisational moments that surprise
Maybe skip if you
- prefer straightforward song structures
- want heavy, consistent rhythms
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2016, It's Hard is The Bad Plus's first album after the departure of founding member Ethan Iverson. This transition marks a significant shift in their sound as they embrace new influences while continuing their signature avant-garde jazz style. The album showcases the trio's ability to reinvent themselves and explore diverse musical territories.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Brad Mehldau· Hiatus Kaiyote· Tigran Hamasyan
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Maps 4:21
- 2 Games Without Frontiers 4:19
- 3 Time After Time 6:14
- 4 I Walk the Line 3:18
- 5 Alfombra Magica 4:07
- 6 The Beautiful Ones 3:32
- 7 Don’t Dream It’s Over 5:22
- 8 Staring at the Sun 4:27
- 9 Mandy 6:14
- 10 The Robots 3:30
- 11 Broken Shadows 3:32
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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