Banker's Hill

構成数 : 1枚
合計収録時間 : 00:00:00
El Ten Eleven are quite accustomed to working by themselves. The Los Angeles-based instrumental duo have released nearly their entire discography on their own Fake Record Label, and they've always produced (and usually engineered) their own recordings. Seventh full-length Banker's Hill is the duo's first release on Topshelf Records, and it was produced by Sonny DiPerri, previously known for working with the likes of Animal Collective and Portugal. The Man. As ever, El Ten Eleven construct their buoyant instrumentals in real time using just bass or guitar and drums, along with numerous looping devices and pedals -- no keyboards or pre-programmed instruments. They also still alternate between acoustic and electronic drums as well as several different guitar effects, giving their sound a remarkable breadth and making it seem like far more than two people are in the band. Without drastically altering the duo's sound, DiPerri helps clear it up and bring out nuances in their performances, making them sound bigger than before. Ultimately, they still have the same energy they've always had, and their songs still burst with excitement and optimism while containing a bittersweet undercurrent reflecting hard times and the losses of loved ones. "You Are Enough" has bright, bending guitar riffs that seem to signify where an exuberant "Woooo!" would be if the duo included vocals in their songs. El Ten Eleven still have an odd way of arranging their songs; parts often come in unexpectedly and might not make sense on first listen. The midsection of "We Don't Have a Sail But We Have a Rudder" particularly seems like a sort of aural brain teaser. Ultimately, one assumes that through playing these songs countless times, they become second nature to the duo and transcend traditional logic, and they invite the same sort of dedicated attention from the listener. That said, this isn't challenging avant-prog. El Ten Eleven's songs are still highly accessible and even danceable, and they reflect a wide range of easily relatable emotions without directly spelling them out using lyrics. Banker's Hill sounds like quintessential El Ten Eleven, but it's still a big step forward for them. ~ Paul Simpson