THE HUMMER

If ever there was an argument for breaking up the current configuration at PA and allowing bands to fit into multiple genres, the Hummer would probably be it. I can't think of a single album quite as misallocated. There aren't any elements which would suggest to me that the Hummer should be a post-metal album.

I knew full well that this album was one of Devin Townsend's ambient projects and didn't quite fit in with his more imaginative and grandiose works. I think my expectations were set unfairly high by Terria which employs an atmospheric quality as large as the country to which it pays tribute. The Hummer is simple by comparison, and I can see why the man himself just might have wanted to cool off a little. I picked up the Hummer for some serious relaxation music myself, and it does accomplish that much.

Much of this album is at least worthy of a three star rating, and parts of it even higher, but the new age aspects on the latter half of the album completely break the droning relaxation built up on the first half. Consciousness Causes Collapse and Cosmic Surf are egregious. The spoken word stuff is extremely off putting. Especially on Cosmic Surf, because I know it would be the best track on the album is it were a pure instrumental. As a result, the title track and the Arc in their almost imperceptible softness are the best aspects.

You have to know what you are getting into before you pick up the Hummer. The album which it most closely resembles from my listening experience is Tangerine Dream's Zeit. Both are drawn out very calm and highly progressive. For the record, I like the Hummer a little better, but for the reasons I brought up above I can't really score it any higher. I only recommend this album for people in need of very serious calming or have a penchant for new age pseudo-philosophy. I can't really say this is for Devin fans, because it really falls outside the style of his best work. It doesn't fall into completionist territory either though, because it represents a very different side of Devin's artistry. To the right ear, this album could easily be magic where something like Ziltoid might seem just so much grinding.