A Dynamite Indie-Rock Offering to Remember

Tortoise knows how to bring it on when it comes to musical styles. Whether it be Krautrock, drum 'n' bass, experimental techno, dub, reggae, hip-hop, jazz, or computer music, the Chicago group has never ceased to find new ways to address itself (& write new innovative chapters in their discography as well) in the world of popular music. If any of its members know how to craft sound so effortlessly & yet with so much care & discipline, Tortoise multi-instrumentalist John McEntire has always been the man for the job as any release with Tortoise, his other group (The Sea & Cake) & countless others has confirmed.


But Tortoise's 1998 release, TNT, is where their mishmash of styles synthesized so perfectly & in one accessible offering. Even without vocals, TNT still speaks volumes almost 10 years later. Picking up where they left off with their previous effort, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, TNT is a musical shape-shifter in more ways than one, sparked in a major way by their interests in the possibilities which remixing tracks presented. And if there was ever a perfect model which showcases not only unique styles but also unique sounds, this album is the blueprint to follow. (Their third release would also introduce guitarist Jeff Parker into the fold as a full-time member!!)

The 7 1/2 minute opener (BTW, the title track) is where the musical journey begins in earnest, a road trip to anywhere & everywhere, the great wide open. (One more thing to be said about Tortoise: the music which these duders make isn't just to be listened to; you also picture yourself in it & is prime road trip soundtrack material.) Then, it segues into the Krautrock-inspired blurp & bloopfest of "Swung From The Gutters," an equally intriguing journey through sonic landscapes which Tortoise refuse to leave unchartered as other tracks such as "I Set My Face To The Hillside," "The Equator," & "The Suspension Bridge at Iguazu Falls" boldly indicate. Again, each of these tracks just makes you want to be in the music itself, caught up in the scenery of places like Brazil, France, Germany, who knows where else.

But the centerpiece of TNT is the nonstop 18-minute suite beginning with "In Sarah, Mencken, Christ And Beethoven There Were Women and Men" and ending with "Jetty." Not only does this suite reveal Tortoise's love for electronic & computer music, but it also reveals a group playing at the core of their strengths & as always using their divergent styles to the best of their advantages. (Listen to Stereolab's "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse," off their release Dots and Loops (which McEntire co-produced & helped create during the same time span as TNT) & you can't help but ask who inspired who to make such awesome music.)

And of course, what better way to close this musical odyssey than with "Everglade." This final track signals the end of the road up ahead, as if to say one has almost arrived at his destination although still out in the great unknown (the Florida Everglades perhaps?...lol). If there was ever an album which was all about taking new & bold adventures in sound, fusing differing musical genres together into something remarkably fresh & innovative, TNT was where Tortoise pulled out all the stops & made a lasting name for themselves as a result.