TORTOISE

"Tortoise" is the self-eponymously titled debut full-length studio album by US post-rock act Tortoise. The album was released through Thrill Jockey in June 1994. Tortoise formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1990 and is a predominantly instrumental unit (although on occasion the band have produced songs featuring vocals, which is also the case on this release).

The music is based on a strong rhythm section with two drummers and three bassists, which is quite the unusual core band constellation. Most tracks feature a very stripped down sound. The use of vibraphones/marimba on a song like "Ry Cooder" provides the music with a slight jazzy touch, but most tracks have repetitive groove based rythms and only little melodic content. The album also features a couple of more ambient/atmospheric tracks in "Onions Wrapped In Rubber" and "His Second Story Island".

The album features a pleasant, organic, and detailed sound production, which suits the material perfectly. There´s a dusty feel to the bass/guitars on the album and a nice dry tone to the drums, which makes this a great sonic experience. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.