Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die (Japanese Edition)

Country: Japan
Label: Headz / Thrill Jockey Records
Released: 22 Dec 2004
Genre: Jazz / Experimental / Electronica / Post-Rock

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Details:

First full-length album with David Pajo. Reissued in Japan with different bonus tracks in 2002.

As one of the pioneers of the emerging post-rock scene (essentially rock music with rock music elements removed), Chicago’s Tortoise have achieved acclaim and crticism in equal measure. Criticisms are that the music doesn’t immediately take hold; some of the material on offer here – on Tortoise’s 1996 album – could pass for elevator music on first listening; it can also give the impression of self-indulgent especially when extended keyboard solos rear their head without an apparent hint of irony. However, closer listening uncovers merits to this music; every track on this album has something to recommend it. Whilst ‘Glass Museum’, ‘The Taut And Tame’ and ‘Along The Banks Of Rivers’ feature lovely mournful guitar lines, ‘Dear Grandma and Grandpa’ feature desolate keyboard touches that are more space rock than post-rock. The opening track, ‘Djed’ encapsulates the problems in apreciating the genre in one fell swoop; it is 20 minutes long with no vocals, meanders up several dark alleys -some containing nothing of interest, some fascinating – but when it hits home it really is quite hypnotic. It may sound paradoxical, but this is demanding easy listening, indeed.

Tracklist:

1 Djed 20:53
2 Glass Museum 5:23
3 A Survey 2:51
4 The Taut And Tame 4:59
5 Dear Grandma And Grandpa 2:58
6 Along The Banks Of Rivers 5:52
7 Gamera [Japanese Edition Bonus Track] 11:55
8 Goriri [Japanese Edition Bonus Track] 6:40
9 Restless Water [Japanese Edition Bonus Track] 3:40
10 A Grape Dope [Japanese Edition Bonus Track] 4:11