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“That’s one of the real positive things about this band. The way that
we work together, and the way we approach writing and playing, has
remained relatively consistent, and that’s one of the reasons we’ve
been able to do it as long as we have.”
Let’s establish something right away: we will not characterize the
music of Tortoise, Chicago’s acclaimed instrumental quintet, as
post-rock. Some of us find that phrase wholly inadequate to convey the
sort of virtuosic, richly textured music for which Tortoise is known.
John McEntire, the band’s drummer and producer, doesn’t care for the
label, either.
“That was just a certain journalist trying to
create a genre, and therefore get a little notoriety for himself in the
process,” said McEntire, reached by phone between stops on the group’s
tour to promote It’s All Around You, their fifth album. Of course, one
can’t blame a music writer for trying to find new ways to describe an
intricate, sculpted sound that draws on jazz, electronica, rock,
lounge, and even ambient and cinematic moods. Tortoise have been
accused in some quarters of being cool, detached craftsmen for their
seriousness of purpose, but repeat listens reveal that although their
music is indeed highly structured, it’s actually very fresh, lively,
and invigorating. Post-rock doesn’t begin to cover it. Asked to provide
a description himself for the uninitiated, McEntire gamely gives it a
whirl.
“I’d probably give you a 50-word description to get it
in the ballpark,” he said. “It’s instrumental; the lineup includes but
is not limited to drums, bass, keyboards, mallet, percussion, and
synthesizers. It’s often melodic, works with textures and a focus on
rhythms. And it’s fairly cinematic at times…something like that.”
Like its name, Tortoise represents something mighty, thick-skinned, and
slow-moving, something that has been around for a long time. Tortoise
is king of modern instrumental rock; in fact, this year represents a
bit of a milestone for the band, as their self-titled debut came out
ten years ago. Other than one or two personnel changes early on, the
lineup has remained stable: McEntire, John Herndon, Doug McCombs, Jeff
Parker, and Dan Bitney, multi-instrumentalists all. McEntire thinks
that very little has changed in the group’s aesthetic through the years.
“That’s one of the real positive things about this band. The way that
we work together, and the way we approach writing and playing, has
remained relatively consistent, and that’s one of the reasons we’ve
been able to do it as long as we have.”
They’re a patient
bunch, these guys. They don’t feel a need to churn something out every
year—and besides, all the members have projects outside Tortoise.
McEntire is a member of dream-pop purveyors The Sea and Cake, and has
produced or worked with dozens of artists including US Maple, Chicago
Underground, Neil Michael Hagerty, Teenage Fanclub, and Norway’s
instrumental peers Salvatore. Herndon soloed as A Grape Dope and has
recorded with Savath & Savalas, The Aluminum Group, and Beans.
McCombs is in Brokeback, another Thrill Jockey artist. Parker plays in
a number of jazz ensembles and released a solo album called Like
Coping; he’s also doing horn arrangements for The Aluminum Group.
Bitney has worked with Spectralina. The point is, none of the members
sit around waiting for the next Tortoise project.
When it’s time to devote themselves to Tortoise, they do it, 100 percent.
The results are always memorable: 1996’s Millions Now Living Will Never
Die is considered a landmark instrumental work, lauded for its
“sustained brilliance” in the All Music Guide. 2001’s Standards,
recorded mostly live in McEntire’s new Soma Studio in Chicago, added
powerhouse rock and funk elements to the Tortoise sonic palette,
broadening the band’s audience considerably. Now, three years later,
It’s All Around You is ready for its closeup, and it’s a thing of
beauty.
From the stunning cover art designed by Peter and
Matthew Girardi (a throwback to the epic visuals of ’70s prog rock
albums) to the mixture of graceful, loungey grooves and evocative,
layered ambient soundscapes within, the album is a relaxed stride
forward, rather than a big departure. Its creation, however, was no
picnic.
“ I’m really pleased with it, but it was one of the
more difficult ones to put together,” said McEntire. “Compared to
Standards, especially— Standards sort of happened really quickly and
was rather painless. This one was almost excruciating in terms of how
long it took and how detailed it got and everything. In the end, it was
totally worth it. In terms of the writing, it’s probably our strongest
one. And I’m just really happy with the overall production.”
Each and every sound seems to matter on a Tortoise album. The fizzy
sparkle of “It’s All Around You,” “On the Chin,” or the luminous “The
Lithium Stills” (which actually features some vocal harmonies as a
texture) generates one sort of mood; a more contemplative one emanates
from the epic keyboard tones of “Crest” or the moody ambience of
“Unknown” or the Eno-esque “By Dawn.” What sort of process shapes such
unique pieces of music?
“I think what tends to happen is that,
when we accommodate enough material, to a certain extent that
determines the breadth of where the piece could go,” said McEntire. “If
something is in a demo form, we can look at it and say that we’ve
already covered that sonic territory. The way we work is sort of slow
and painstaking. At any moment, a piece could go in a different
direction than where it started. Everyone in the band has veto power.”
At the live shows, Tortoise is able to stretch out, to loosen the
reigns that keep things so structured on the albums. “People move,”
said McEntire. “It’s not like an all-out crazy dance party, but we
typically get a pretty lively crowd…wherever we go.”
McEntire
has something of an air of seriousness in conversation, perhaps
befitting one of the most important musicians in Chicago’s vital music
scene. He seems to want the music to speak for itself, and Tortoise’s
brand of instrumental stylings can indeed speak volumes to the
attentive listener. McEntire doesn’t want to be pigeonholed or labeled.
“We’re all drawing on a vast pool of influences and inspirations,” he
says of his band. “The only real goals we have are to keep making
interesting music that satisfies or challenges us. Anything else that
happens after that is a bonus.”
It’s All Around You is in stores now. Catch Tortoise live at Mississippi Nights on May 24.
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