What makes Shamokin!!! by Mostly Other People Do the Killing notable?

This album received significant attention for its innovative approach to jazz, pushing boundaries while still appealing to traditional sensibilities. Its standout track, A Night in Tunisia, is an ambitious reinterpretation of the classic standard that highlights the band's improvisational prowess and has been influential in modern jazz circles. Shamokin!!! was Mostly Other People Do the Killing's second studio album, following their 2006 debut. By this time, the band had begun to establish themselves in the avant-garde jazz scene, showcasing their unique blend of humor and complexity that distinguished them from contemporaries.

How many songs are on Shamokin!!!?

Shamokin!!! has 10 tracks, running approximately 74 minutes.

Shamokin!!!

Mostly Other People Do the Killing · 2007

74 min · 10 tracks · jazz

A frenetic exploration of modern jazz, blending intricate melodies with playful improvisation and a touch of absurdity.

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Top tracks — play these first

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A Night in Tunisia — Clocking in at over twenty minutes, this track serves as a bold reimagining of a jazz standard, demonstrating the band's technical skill and adventurous spirit.
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Handsome Eddy — Opening with lively rhythms and playful exchanges between instruments, this track encapsulates the band's whimsical yet sophisticated style.
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Dunkelbergers — With its complex time signatures and intricate interplay, this track showcases the band's ability to push the limits of conventional jazz forms while remaining accessible.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

61 /100

Treeline

Higher than 71% of albums we've rated

The album showcases intricate compositions and playful improvisation, making it a notable entry in modern jazz.

What we noticed

The album features rapid tempo changes, with tracks often shifting from frenetic sections to quieter, more contemplative moments.
Improvisation is a key element, with musicians frequently trading solos and responding to each other's phrases in real-time.

Composition 25% of the score: 8/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 5/10

Influence 4/10

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.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Handsome Eddy 5:51
2 The Hop Bottom Hop 8:28
3 Shamokin 3:50
4 Dunkelbergers 7:48
5 Factoryville 4:51
6 Lover 4:33
7 Andover 3:50
8 Evans City 6:41
9 Baden 6:37
10 A Night in Tunisia 21:32

What to play next

Listen next

This Is Our Moosic

2008

Go back to

Mostly Other People Do the Killing

2004

Full Mostly Other People Do the Killing discography Artists like Mostly Other People Do the Killing

jazz

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata