Tortoise – TNT
Tortoise – TNT (1998)
Virtually every post-rock fan from the mid-90s onward has heard of Tortoise. The shifting group arguably set the stage for the post-rock scene from their debut, Tortoise, in 1994. Tortoise set off with a surprisingly organic mix of dub, minimalist, electronic and angular jazz styles and crafted some truly excellent instrumental music.
TNT is a textbook example of a timeless album. I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was released in 1978 rather than 1998. Likewise, it sounds so fresh and inspiring, just as if it were tracked earlier this year. Each of the 12 tracks features some combination of multilayered guitars, drums, marimbas, horns, synths, deep bass and various other noises but without overwhelming the listener. Quite the opposite. Each passage is distinct and clear and every tune has a standout and catchy melody or concept, making TNT a total thrill to hear every time.
To clue you in on Tortoise‘s sound circa 1998, I’d say they’re something like post-rock jazz/modern progressive swing with a very small taste of dance influence on a few tunes. Don’t let the dance tag turn you away, though. There are many artists out there who have discovered exactly how to do dance music right (French duo Justice). And putting the dance tag on Tortoise is likely going too far; these guys can lay down very danceable beats, but they’re rather mellow and quirky most of the time on TNT. Other albums, notably Standards, show off more of Tortoise’s post-rock capabilities. Anyone familiar with Tortoise will probably think I’m nuts, but I hear dance in there!
On TNT‘s tunes: I want to delve into each one, but I won’t give too much away. There’s reggae/dub, spacey guitarwork and a take on the standard call-and-response on The Equator; a twangy spaghetti Western-inspired soundscape on I Set My Face To The Hillside; melodic interplay, synthy bass blasts and fluttery Fender guitars drenched in tremolo on The Suspension Bridge at Iguazu Falls; and a dreamy album closer with Everglade, complete with picked harmonics, vibraphone, clattery drums and some of the sweetest bass riffs I’ve ever heard. TNT is one of a select few albums I can listen to through the last second — and I have no problem spinning it again.
Head over to YouTube and sample a few tunes from TNT, then buy it. User Kerakao has a good selection of stuff up at the time of this post. Here’s Suspension Bridge.
TNT is simply incredible and by far one of the best intstrumental albums ever recorded. This is desert island material from start to finish. If you listen to only one album I’ve recommended, make it this one.
