Aaron Irwin: Little Hurts

Aaron Irwin may be running the show here, but guitarist Ben Monder is the secret weapon. Monder sets up a moody undercurrent with some swampy and reverb-laden arpeggios over which Irwin and Chris Cheek develop, in unison, the rising theme. When the horns split apart mid-song, taking simultaneous solos, "Little Hurts" steps above the expected head/solos format.

Ah, but it's Monder who holds the trump card, busting out an absolutely volcanic guitar solo that might be labeled "fusion" if it weren't for the decidedly non-fusion context. Don't let the "F-word" dissuade you, as this is a load of fun.