Bad Plus is way out, but in a good way.

Byline: Paul Denison The Register-Guard

The album art for "Give," the Bad Plus' second album for Columbia Records, sends a not-so-subliminal message that these three guys are way out there, either headed for or just in from outer space.

And they are, but not in a bad way, unless a quick-change mix of straight-ahead and free jazz makes your head ache. These adventurous musical astronauts/cosmonauts/aliens use the same solid fuel that propels other jazz combos: melody, rhythm and improvisation.

They can fly straight and true, or they can break free and go into orbit, often in the same number. Either way, they're good, and you want to go with them.

When bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King are "Layin' a Strip for the Higher-Self State Line," for example, with King and Anderson driving at top speed and Iverson chording and boogie-woogieing all over the highway, you'll want to go with them. And you'll feel let down when this great track comes to an abrupt stop.

Billed as "the loudest piano trio in the world," because the volume of the drums and bass is way louder than in traditional jazz trios, the Bad Plus enables listeners to more fully appreciate the remarkable interplay among the three instruments. And the musicians share composing duties as well.

On this album, bassist Anderson and drummer King get credit for three tracks apiece, and pianist Iverson gets two. They can all take credit for what happens on the other three tracks: Ornette Coleman's "Street Woman," the Pixies' "Velouria" and Black Sabbath's "Iron Man."

The Pixies cover is one of the most interesting and satisfying. The piano softly lays down the melody while the drummer plays tricky rhythms, building in intensity like Franz Liszt on speed. Then, the bass throbs in and the piece really takes off, in ways that might astound the Pixies.

"Often, I think that when we do covers, it's some of our strangest music," Anderson says. "The fact that we're just three goofballs shines through - we can't avoid it and we don't want to - yet our deep seriousness to the music comes through as well.

`We're committed to explor- ing."

Frog and Toad's wild ride

Both attitudes - the respect and the willingness to boldly go where the tune hasn't gone before - are obvious as well on Coleman's "Street Woman."

Here, drums and bass are the stars, and the piano fills in for the sax just enough to remind everyone that there is a fine melody involved. And on "Iron Man," which feels as ponderous and ominous as the original Black Sabbath tune, but wilder, and rounded off with a gentle piano coda.

Of the Bad Plus originals, "From Here We Test Our Powers of Observation" combines fairly straight-ahead bass and melodic piano with some wild-abandon drumming until the whole thing goes crazy. "Frog and Toad" is a low-key, bass-led trip to "The Wind in the Willows" land.

"Neptune (The Planet)' fuses a bit of interstellar radio static with drum, brushed cymbals and linear piano line. The result is a hypnotically moody space vehicle that's at the far other end of the world from "Layin' a Strip."

The Bad Plus released its first album in 2001 and caught the ear of somebody from the Columbia A&R department with a 2002 gig at New York's Village Vanguard. The trio released its Columbia debut, "These Are the Vistas," in February 2003.

"Give" was recorded and mixed in October 2003 by Tchad Blake, who has worked with Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Los Lobos, Tom Waits and Elvis Costello. He obviously did a good job, but he had a lot to work with going in.

What's buggin' them?

Critters Buggin, a Seattle jazz quartet that will share Saturday's WOW Hall show with the Bad Plus, is also a sonically adventurous combo. But they're more into soundscapes or tone pomes, and their album "Stampede" won't bowl anyone over the way "Give" can and does.

The "Stampede" tracks are quietly interesting and sometimes trippy, something you might mellow out with on "Music From the Hearts of Space." But most of the tunes don't go anyplace special or especially original. They drift.

This is a combo with cre- dentials.

The saxophonist currently known as Skerik and vibraphonist Mike Dillon are regulars with Les Claypool's Flying Frog Brigade.

Drummer Matt Chamberlain and bassist Brad Houser are founding members of the New Bohemians and have played with David Bowie, Tori Amos, Elton John, Liz Phair, Macy Gray, John Doe and others.

These are all busy guys. So busy, in fact, that they haven't played together as Critters Buggin, either on stage or in the studio, for five years. "Stampede" was recorded in September 2003 for the Ropeadope label.

Critters Buggin is clearly a talented bunch, but unlike the Bad Plus, they don't do anything terribly exciting with all that talent. They're all over the sonic trance map with instruments and sound effects, but they really don't go anyplace. And sometimes, they go places that make you want to leave the room.

But many will enjoy Critters Buggin's lightweight style better than the Bad Plus's light heavyweight assault, which is pretty intense.

All in all, it should be a nicely balanced evening.

Paul Denison can be reached at 338-2323 or pdenison @guardnet.com.

CONCERT PREVIEW

The Bad Plus, Critters Buggin

When: 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: WOW Hall, 291 W. Eighth Ave.

Tickets: $16 advance, $18 at the door or 687-2746