Anna Butterss – “Ninths”

Back in January we talked to Anna Butterss, the LA-based bassist with too many cool affiliations to keep track of. (SML, Jeff Parker's ETA IVtet, Makaya McCraven, Jason Isbell, boygenius, Neko Case, Flea... the list goes on.) Butterrs also makes solo albums, though as you might expect, they tend to feature a bunch of the other great musicians in their orbit.

Such was the case with 2024's Mighty Vertebrate, which paired them with SML bandmates Josh Johnson (sax) and Gregory Uhlmann (guitar) plus drummer Ben Lumsdaine. Today, International Anthem shared an outtake from those sessions along with the release of a skull-colored vinyl reissue of the album.

The new loosie is called "Ninths." It begins with Uhlmann in post-punk mode, playing a spindly motif that recurs throughout the piece. But Johnson's sax ultimately becomes the focus on the piece, which is moody and hypnotic without losing its blustery momentum. Listen below.