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Critical Mass
Critical Mass
Studio album by the Dave Holland Quintet
Released	August 29, 2006
Recorded	December 2005
Studio	Avatar, New York City
Genre	Jazz; post-bop;
Length	1:12:50
Label	Dare2/Sunnyside
Producer	Dave Holland
The Dave Holland Quintet chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
All About Jazz	^[2]
The Guardian	^[3]
The Inlander	^[4]
Jazzwise	^[5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[6]
PopMatters	8/10^[7]
Tom Hull	B+^[8]

Critical Mass is a studio album by the Dave Holland Quintet released in 2006 through Dare2, his second release for his own label. This is Holland's first recording to feature drummer Nate Smith; saxophonist Chris Potter, trombonist Robin Eubanks and vibraphonist Steve Nelson all return from previous Holland projects.

Reception

Steve Greenlee of JazzTimes stated "It’s been five years since Dave Holland’s quintet released an album of new material. The bassist hasn’t exactly been relaxing in the meantime; he put out two albums of big-band music and toured extensively, and released a stellar double-live CD by his quintet. And all the while, the least grateful among us have been hankering for some new music from Holland’s quintet. Well, here it is, and it holds its own against Prime Directive, the group’s most impressive release... The groupthink mentality manifests itself most obviously on the New Orleans tribute “Easy Did It,” for which Holland and Smith create a slithering, swelling rhythm that culminates in a five-way roundtable of near-chaos. Critical Mass will be on everyone’s list of 2006’s best."^[9] John Kelman of All About Jazz wrote, "Proof that it's possible to retain one's identity while breaking new ground, Critical Mass continues a streak of winning records for Holland that shows no sign of letting up."^[2] John Fordham of The Guardian added, " It's unflinching contemporary instrumental jazz, but as subtly melodic as Holland's bands always are."^[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dave Holland except as noted

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Eyes Have It"		7:00
2.	"Easy Did It"		11:16
3.	"Vicissitudes"	Chris Potter	9:56
4.	"The Leak"	Nate Smith	5:42
5.	"Secret Garden"		8:42
6.	"Lucky Seven"		8:35
7.	"Full Circle"	Robin Eubanks	12:11
8.	"Amator Silenti"	Steve Nelson	9:17
Total length:			1:12:50