By Alex Reicherter Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Tortoise -- a large, slow-moving reptile of the family Testudinidae.
Characterized by an unusually long life span and docile nature, the tortoise is certainly not the most appealing animal to name a band after. But Tortoise aren't a normal band. For over 10 years now, various incarnations of Tortoise have been releasing atmospheric, experimental instrumental music to varying degrees of critical and commercial success. "It's All Around You," the band's fifth album, continues to develop their inconsistent but intriguing style.
Instrumental music is hard to pull off these days. In our increasingly lyrics-obsessed culture, sitting still for 45 minutes of word-free music is no easy task. Let's face it -- it's just not as fun when you can't sing along. Still, Tortoise's sound, a unique blend of instrumental rock, jazz and electronica critics have dubbed "post-rock," is certainly original enough to garner attention.
The album opens strongly with the title track, a loopy jam consisting of lead guitarist Jeff Parker's jazzy soloing over an orchestra of chimes, bass and skittering drums. It becomes immediately clear that Tortoise are extremely comfortable as a band -- the interplay between the instruments is tight and never awkward, and every added chime or electronic sound has a purpose in adding to the mood of the piece.
The first four tracks make a solid opening to the album. "Crest," an epic but overproduced song, has swells of chimes leading into a Flaming Lips-style orchestral anthem. And "Stretch (You are All Right)" benefits from an uncharacteristically funky bass line and catchy guitar hook, later joined by staccato keyboards for added groove. Tortoise are prone to letting their experiments run too long, but their cohesiveness as a band keeps the songs from becoming too tedious. In general, the first two minutes or so of the songs hold their most memorable moments, after which they often become slightly repetitive.
The pleasant atmosphere of the album takes a sharp turn for the worse on "Unknown" and "Dot/Eyes." Both songs are driven by plodding, monotonous bass and drums, joined at random by various instrumental and electronic sounds. This is Tortoise's attempt to branch into new, more ambient soundscapes. But the unstructured songs create an abrasive and unpleasant atmosphere and become the low point of the album.
While these songs fail because of excessive experimentation, the album's closing tracks are unsatisfactory for the opposite reason. "Five Too Many" is four and a half minutes of a minimal groove, with little substantial accompaniment to keep it interesting. And album closer "Salt the Skies" is nothing more than easy listening music disguised by electric guitar solos. Rather than ending with a bang, Tortoise leave you feeling like you're in the waiting room at your doctor's office.
The second half of the album would be a disappointment if not for "On the Chin," the album's best track. Here, Tortoise are in top form, displaying their talent for catchy guitar hooks and unique instrumentation. Guitars, drums, keyboards and electronics bounce and play off of each other for over five minutes without losing the sense of fun and energy that permeates the song. On this and a few other songs, Tortoise accomplish what seems to be their ultimate goal; to create a musical world for you to live in, evoking mood and emotion without saying a word.
Tortoise are at their best when they allow themselves the freedom to be a true band. The large variety of instruments played by each member often leads them to throw too much into a song, leaving it sounding cluttered and aimless. Their strongest tracks rely not on variety of instrumentation, but on their quality as truly skilled musicians. Often, the simple interplay between bass, drums and keyboards is the most affecting aspect of their compositions.
Ultimately, "It's All Around You" fails to compare with the best of Tortoise's past efforts. With many of the overly long tracks suffering from either an excess or lack of experimentation, the album does not hold together well as a whole. Still, the skill of the band cannot be denied. On the stronger tracks they demonstrate how they have survived for so long, creating an original and instantly recognizable sound that is both pleasing and complex. Sure, you can't dance to it, or do pretty much anything else at a fast pace. But come on, the band's name is Tortoise. What were you expecting?
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