Theta Naught have holed up in Salt Lake City after playing together since 2002. Omnium Gatherum, their fifth release, features more than one hour of instrumental music across 15 instrumental tracks. My introduction to Theta Naught, "The Sixth Planet," feels a little too drawn out, maybe because the song is pretty violin string-heavy in its mixing, which isn't to say boring or annoying. However, the second track forces me to pay attention. "In My Mind" gives the listener something else. It's eerie and shows a more well-rounded side of the band. Then comes "Get Closer," another one I'd call string-heavy. A little slower, but also not as interesting as the more experimental tracks, such as the latter half of "Stimulus Package," "D'jazz," "Spartan" and "Dub Symphonic."
Theta Naught seem to play to a new classical crowd, those who embrace the movements popularized by the heavyweight composers. However, with Omnium Gatherum, there's an invocation of more experimental styles that's hard to pinpoint. However, some songs, such as the "Moon" trilogy, build on a theme for 10 minutes, almost exactly in the classical vein. While this isn't too captivating, one must admit that it's played extremely well. If you aren't looking for something too experimental, but also not too run-of-the-mill, Omnium Gatherum might be for you. It's contemporary instrumental music for music teachers.
