On The Scene

Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey), out in June, is the first new record in five years from the Chicago band Tortoise, an influential quintet with no singer and a reputation for experimental rock. The band has hardly been slacking since the release of 2004’s It’s All Around You. In between, it has released a three-CD compilation, recorded a collection of covers with the cult hero Will Oldham, and performed at many large music festivals. The music on the new record retains the band’s shape-shifting mix of exotic rhythms, riffs, and textures, but marks a definite shift in Tortoise’s sound. “There’s a lot of energy,” says Dan Bitney, a multi-instrumentalist. “Our first record was kind of dark, but on this one it’s a rock band.”
GO: Tortoise plays the PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL on July 17th. For more information, visit pitchforkmusicfestival.com.
photograph: Saverio Truglia
Share
Advertisement
How to Scent Your House
4 weeks ago
How to Turn Your Fish Tank Into a Garden
4 months ago
How a Self-Help Guru Decorates Her West Loop Home
4 months ago
Help! My Partner and I Have Opposite Tastes in Decor
4 months ago
Submit your comment
Comments are moderated. We review them in an effort to remove foul language, commercial messages, abuse, and irrelevancies.