Much has been made of the bombast which opens Tortoise's fourth proper long-player, and this reviewer
will concur that it is a wonderful sound. But, noisy as it may be, this is a distinctively Tortoise noise. Free
jazz drums skitter and clatter, the guitar wanders a distorted Morricone path, and bass bottoms out for
about two minutes. Then it gets tight. There are electric pianos, wheezing keyboards, layered percussion,
and, for a bit, that nasty guitar burbles up again. Not exactly four on the floor, but, clearly, this is not my
mom's Tortoise (she loved TNT, by the way).
The thing that makes Standards work is that is has a living, breathing quality that has been
lacking in Tortoise's previous releases. In the past, what has set Tortoise apart has been an incredibly
high level of musicianship, across the board, coupled with tremendous creativity. Despite the talent and
innovation which permeated their earlier records, there was always the sterile taste of an exercise.
Particularly on TNT, well known for being comprised of songs assembled through editing, one had
the sense that Tortoise's music was an expertly crafted puppet, made to dance gracefully, but had not yet
become a real boy.
Standards seems to have been approached with the intent of rectifying that situation. This is the
sound of those same musicians playing from their guts. If the opening track means anything, it is not a
move towards noise or rock, but the primal sound of coming to life. Like no other Tortoise record, this one
infects you physically, as guttural as it is intellectual. Your favorite Tortoise elements (Morricone
reverbed guitars, vibes, creative edits--some of the drum edits seem to be stolen from U.N.K.L.E.'s
Bruised Blood remix of "Djed") are still present, yet they are mixed in with infectious live drums, deep and
powerful bass, and lots and lots of guitars (a lot of guitars at least for a band made up of bass players and
drummers).
Tone-wise, the record mixes it up. They immediately jump from the grimy rock of "Seneca" to "Eros," an
alien dance party made up of dual bass lines, blipping keyboards that sound like a Morse code
transmission with soul, and a chopped up drum track (not to mention all of the other crazy crap that pops in
and out). "Benway" features some of Isotope 217-esque mid-song style hopping, beginning with purely
electronic elements, reminiscent of what David Bowie and Brian Eno did on Low, before moving into
some crazy, funked-up jazz riffing. "Eden 2" is their funkiest track to date with breakbeat drums, rolling
drums, and a wah-wah. Although the songs vary from one to the next, and there is nothing as heavy as
"Seneca" on the rest of the album, there is a consistency in the feel--the vibe--in nearly every track.
Standards will not likely be the divisive record that TNT was, and it will probably increase their
fan base--it's definitely an easier pill to swallow. However, that does not mean that Tortoise is not
pushing their music forward like they have in the past. One can hear elements from their earlier releases
in Standards, but they have made it new by breathing life into their creations. Which is, of course,
the most important step to take.
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