Tortoise

緻密で構造的なアンサンブルを磨き上げるシカゴが生んだスーパー・インストゥルメンタル・ロック・バンド、TORTOISE。DOUGLAS MCCOMBSとJOHN HERNDON、JOHN MCENTIREが構築するツイン・ドラムとベースの重なりを軸に、ポスト・パンク以降の硬質さとジャズ的流動性を融合させる異能集団。

ポストロック・シーンを牽引し、代表的存在であり続けてきた彼らが、THRILL JOCKEYという独立的な土壌、アメリカ中西部の実験性、1990年代初頭のDIY精神を一体で響かせ発表した94年の記念すべき1STアルバム。

TORTOISEは、レコーディング・プロセスを作曲ツールもしくは第6のメンバーとして利用するという点でスタジオを開拓。彼らのルーツとなるパンクやニュー・ウェイヴに加え、ジャーマン・ロックやミニマリズム、ダブやトリップホップ、映画音楽、カントリー等、様々な音楽のスタイルと影響を取り入れて、まったく異なるサウンドに結合。その独自性ゆえに、本作のリリース後、彼らは新しい音楽的ムーヴメントのリーダーと見なされることになります。

深く弾むベースが旋回する"MAGNET PULLS THROUGH"、ドラムの細かな刻みがギターの残響を支える"SPIDERWEBBED"、金属的なパーカッションがグルーヴを引き締める"TIN CANS & TWINE"、静かなコードが余白を作る"ON NOBLE"。テンポを抑えた曲でもスネアとキックの配置で緊張を保ち、ヴィブラフォンやシンセの短いフレーズで輪郭を描きます。

バンドの設計思想が最初期から明確に聴き取れる一枚で、シカゴ発の集団性と精密なリズム設計が現在の耳にも鮮明に届きます。元BASTRO～GASTR DEL SOLのBUNDY K. BROWN在籍時唯一のアルバムという意味でも必聴の一枚です。

An album that not only set the tone for the new Chicago prog rock, but also cemented the musical niche for Thrill Jockey Records. Here, multi-instrumentalists John McEntire, Dan Bitney, John Herdon, Douglas McCombs, and Bundy K. Brown share equal responsibility and trust in each other, pouring out a thick stew of meditative grooves, light production experiments, and rusty guitar-string ambience -- the likes of which have rarely sounded so approachable, but this is not to say the album is a sellout leap into commercialism. There are a couple head scratchers and murky moments that fail to make much of an impact, but the quintet have spun such a rich web of mood and personality that any fall from grace barely changes altitude. Steady frontman McEntire wades confidently through uncharted waters, and his strength as a producer keeps a few odd moments from sinking. Tortoise sounds like a dark and wonderful garage full of dusty instruments. It's like looking at Avedon photographs -- the crevices and quirky imperfections are so richly explored that they become things of beauty. Disjointed twangy guitar riffs, distant harmonic overtones, bass mumblings, and a heartbeat make up tracks like "Flyrod," and "Ry Cooder" ebbs and flows organically through multiple key changes, tempos, and moods: foreboding, tense, plodding, explosive, hip, jazzy, cool, and funky (a signature piece for the band). "Cornpone Bunch" briefly tips its hat to the Who before unraveling a roll-the-credits finale to the disc: a bittersweet dialogue between bass, vibes, and drums than builds wonderfully to a close. The modest success of this CD proved to be a launching pad for several offshoot projects (several of which included founding members of this band), like Directions in Music, Isotope 217, Trans Am, Rome, and the Sea and Cake. In subsequent releases, Tortoise evolved to be a collective rather than a set roster of players. The ground broken apart by this solid debut would be tilled and cultivated by their outstanding follow-up Millions Now Living Will Never Die. Roll the dice for either album; you can't lose. ~ Glenn Swan