but to me they were a group that kind of changed my musical outlook. They were just the right kind of band heading in a different direction at the right time that really appealed to meYeah, me too, actually. At the time my friends got me into Tortoise I was mainly listening to straight-ahead jazz, classical, some "classic rock" like Pink Floyd and Zeppelin, Fugazi, and old blues records. I think Tortoise and their Chicago counterparts (Isotope 217, Brokeback, Chicago Underground, Sea and Cake, etc.) got me to start thinking of music in a less compartmentalized way -- more of a sonic continuum.― Joe Bob 1 Tooth (Hurting 2), Tuesday, January 27, 2009 2:45 AM (5 months ago)
Yeah, me too, actually. At the time my friends got me into Tortoise I was mainly listening to straight-ahead jazz, classical, some "classic rock" like Pink Floyd and Zeppelin, Fugazi, and old blues records. I think Tortoise and their Chicago counterparts (Isotope 217, Brokeback, Chicago Underground, Sea and Cake, etc.) got me to start thinking of music in a less compartmentalized way -- more of a sonic continuum.
― Joe Bob 1 Tooth (Hurting 2), Tuesday, January 27, 2009 2:45 AM (5 months ago)
Yeah, they're a reasonable gateway band into a lot of better music, for younger listeners. And my impression is they'd be happy with that--as maligned as they are for being a pastiche-of-all-things-old-and-hip, I think it's evident they're sincerely in love with music, and probably don't think they're doing something revolutionary (unlike the impression I got from hearing/reading quotes from far worse "post-rock" bands who seemed never to have heard a fucking Can or Reich or Morricone record and thought they were inventing some new dramatic language). They surely aren't ashamed of their influences.
― Soundslike, Saturday, 18 July 2009 16:26 (3 years ago) Permalink
(or at least they pretended never to have heard any "experimental" music. It's possible, as Mogwai and GSYBE and Sigur Ros and all those Constellation bands seemed to take their sense of dynamics from Smashing Pumpkins or U2 more than anything else.)
― Soundslike, Saturday, 18 July 2009 16:29 (3 years ago) Permalink
I saw Tortoise live in LA last week. They were good, absolutely. Still, when they brought out "Djed" for the encore... man, that song is still so electrifying and exciting. It accidentally made the entire rest of the show feel lazy. Like, "Oh, you can be this good? Oh." I just don't get the sense that these guys are pushing themselves as hard as they once did.
― scott pgwp (pgwp), Saturday, 18 July 2009 19:56 (3 years ago) Permalink
saw these guys recently, sadly they didn't play Djed. they did Seneca though and a lot of older material. i agree with pgwp above, however tight and great it was, they didn't even break a sweat. i can appreciate the art in sounding like a cd on stage, but it would be cool to see them put a little more at risk.
...and oh yeah to my big surprise i saw at least half a dozen trucker hats in the audience
― sonderangerbot, Tuesday, 15 December 2009 20:20 (3 years ago) Permalink
Off to see these guys tonight as part of the Melb Jazz Festival. The new album is so not-typical of them (and much less jazzy than their older work) that I'm wondering what material they'll be playing!
As long as there is a load of duelling glocks I'll be happy.
― Eyjafjallalalalalatrolololol (Trayce), Friday, 7 May 2010 04:13 (3 years ago) Permalink
or vibraphones, or whatever they are.
― Eyjafjallalalalalatrolololol (Trayce), Friday, 7 May 2010 04:19 (3 years ago) Permalink
Have fun :)
― CaptainLorax, Friday, 7 May 2010 04:21 (3 years ago) Permalink
Its in the best venue in melb too. Gorgeous old deco theatre. Totally stoked!
― Eyjafjallalalalalatrolololol (Trayce), Friday, 7 May 2010 04:38 (3 years ago) Permalink
i'm listening to the 6th song on the directions in music album... wow. anyone listened to this lately? i think it's aged much better than the tortoise stuff.
― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, September 18, 2003 2:30 AM (7 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
i still love this album, been listening to it a lot recently.
― mizzell, Friday, 22 October 2010 15:48 (2 years ago) Permalink
psyched for this Tortoise show in Minneapolis at the Walker Art Center on Friday!
http://www.walkerart.org/calendar/2012/tortoise-minneapolis-jazz-all-stars
Part of 2011-2012 Performing Arts Season
“Tortoise is one of the rare groups that defy easy classification despite their status as founding fathers of the late-’90s post-rock boom.” —Paste Magazine
Chicago’s indie legend returns to the Walker and joins some of the Twin Cities’ most influential jazz and rock innovators for an exploratory collaboration in sound and form. Unique in the world of contemporary music, Tortoise is known for its boundless intellectual curiosity and unmistakable instrumental collage of jazz, rock, electronica, dub, dance, ambient, and minimalism. This 612-meets-312 experiment features gifted players, new ideas, and a remarkable shared musical vision. One show only: Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire, and Jeff Parker—along with Minneapolis’ Douglas Ewart, Mike Lewis, Greg Lewis, JT Bates, and Michele Kinney—are featured in this singular performance. The performance will be broadcast live by KFAI “Radio Without Boundaries” (90.3/106.7 FM).
^^the minneapolis dudes are all super awesome jazz guys, drummer JT Bates is just amazing:
― l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 18:37 (1 year ago) Permalink
* sets Audio Hijack to catch this *
― improvised explosive advice (WmC), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 18:54 (1 year ago) Permalink
seeing them tomorrow night! sans mike lewis et al, unfort.
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 19:25 (1 year ago) Permalink
saw them this past Saturday, it was wicked good.
― Stormy Davis, Tuesday, 1 May 2012 19:36 (1 year ago) Permalink
The performance will be broadcast live by KFAI “Radio Without Boundaries” (90.3/106.7 FM).
This is starting now, kfai.org
― improvised explosive advice (WmC), Saturday, 5 May 2012 01:04 (1 year ago) Permalink
this was one of the best shows i've seen in forever!
― l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:45 (1 year ago) Permalink
how did it go down? mpls jazz dudes improvising on top of tortoise tunes, or?
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:46 (1 year ago) Permalink
yeah it was definitely a collaboration to the fullest...could have easily been billed as Mpls Jazz All Stars feat Tortoise
two drummers - dan bitney & jt bates
stage right was the jazz all star stage left was tortoise - mccoombs/parker on bass/guitar, herdon & mcentire on various keyboards/electronics/laptops
i didn't really recognize proper tortoise songs per se, they seemed to work off a main riff or theme and kind of all go off from there....i think i recognized some riffs from tortoise songs here and there (LOL i also realize how much i don't know ANY tortoise song titles except for djed)....then they did a encore of "galapagos" which mccoombs said that the jazz guys didn't know and they hadn't practiced but it went off well..
mike & greg lewis were both great....never seen ewart and goddam he was the fucking BOMB, also dressed so fucking "jazz guy" - flowing african v-neck style kinda tie-dyed looking shirt, beret, and neat beard, so cool....but yeah he's a great player
surprise was michele kinney who i wasn't familiar with but she was great...
jordan - does your ILM mail work? I have a link that, shall we say, might be of interest :)
― l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:52 (1 year ago) Permalink
it does!
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:53 (1 year ago) Permalink
cool, sent! let me know what you think, but it's sounding just a good in the harsh light of monday morning
― l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:58 (1 year ago) Permalink
thanks man! can't download at work but i'll check it out tonight, looking forward to it.
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:59 (1 year ago) Permalink
wow could I also have that link?
― Scott, bass player for Tenth Avenue North (Hurting 2), Monday, 7 May 2012 15:59 (1 year ago) Permalink
One of my issues with Tortoise has been that for all their individual talents, they don't really improvise live. So it's exciting to hear they're at least trying to push themselves a little, belatedly.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 7 May 2012 16:24 (1 year ago) Permalink
yeah i really enjoyed seeing them last week but it seemed, i don't know, a little rote. they covered all the parts but i was hoping that they'd let jeff parker off the leash a little or get into more double-drummer fire.
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Monday, 7 May 2012 16:31 (1 year ago) Permalink
just about ten minutes in, but yeah sounding great! thanks m@tt
― tylerw, Monday, 7 May 2012 16:33 (1 year ago) Permalink
hurting - check you ILX mail :)
josh you want the link?
― l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 7 May 2012 17:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
i'd be happy to take a link!
― sonderangerbot, Monday, 7 May 2012 17:25 (1 year ago) Permalink
some photos here
http://www.reviler.org/2012/05/07/photos-tortoise-minneapolis-jazz-all-stars-at-walker-art-center/
― l0u1s j0rdan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 19:07 (1 year ago) Permalink
nice. looks like herndon on drums btw.
― 40oz of tears (Jordan), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 19:13 (1 year ago) Permalink