Indie Workshop.com
9/04
Tucker Martine is an amazing producer/engineer. He is similar to the surrealist painters, completely able to capture the clarity and realism of the world around him, but choosing to look deeper and slightly askew at it. He has worked with some truly outstanding musicians, most recently Bill Frisell (who joins him for a track on this record). And you would imagine that when this man, this force of sound, puts out a record, it is going to be transcendental, genre-bending stuffÂ… and you would be right on the money.
New Skin is one of those records that will never ever get old. I can put it on three times a day and hear three different things. It is as if the CD itself is changing its molecular structure continuously, or else I am being changed. I think it is more the latter, than the former.
Mount Analog is Martine, aided in part by a few able-bodied musicians of choice, as well as a copious supply of tape loops and found sounds. Noticeably present are the keys of Steven Moore, the violins of Bruce Wirth, and the guitars of Jon Hyde. Other strange and wonderful artifacts of music abound on this strange and wonderful record (I can never get enough of that damn harmonium).
New Skin could fall easily into the sound sculptures of the Alien8/Constellation crew, as well as the psychedelic folk of Cul de Sac. From the three-song introduction of quiet, moody pieces, we are brought to song 4, Bell and Howell. It flows from a slightly atonal opening, into a drum loop and some really really beautiful guitar lines (courtesy of Jon Hyde) and some Mellotron. It is beauty caught on tape and makes me dream of the sea. Brokeback is kicking itself for not writing this song.
I highly recommend this record, down to the beautifully simple packaging, brought to you by the record label that is ahead of its time, Film Guerrero. Go and order yourself a copy and prepare to buy another one for your friends.
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