Pitchfork

[Posted Monday, November 10th, 2003 03:00:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

The progenitors of that ever-elusive and increasingly indecipherable animal post-rock are finally wading back into the fray with their first collection of new material since 2001's Standards. That's right-- Tortoise have been busy in the studio, and are readying a new, as-yet untitled album for release in April 2004.

"About [one-third of] the material was developed from improvisations in the studio, which is something they haven't really done much of before," Thrill Jockey's Sam Hunt told Pitchfork via e-mail. "The rest was basically written in the usual collective manner, but primarily in the studio. The palette of sounds has widened a little bit, perhaps reaching toward a more orchestral feeling at points-- without necessarily utilizing those instruments." Also expanding the Tortoise palette is alt-country journeyman, or in this case woman, Kelly Hogan, who contributes her considerable vocal chords to the album.

It seems like All Tomorrow's Parties never freaking ends, and Tortoise are doing their part to keep it going, as they are curators for one night of the UK-edition festival in March 2004. Some of the other curators, just to rub it in that most of you Yankees probably aren't going-- Sonic Youth, Stephen Malkmus, Shellac (yes, that one), and Mogwai.

Finally, Tortoise are contributing a song to the soundtrack for an upcoming documentary on the creator of the instrument without which the members of Stereolab would all be working selling tickets at indie movie houses or distributing lattes to the proletariat of Europe. That's right, kids, I'm talkin' about the Moog. Bob Moog and his eponymous synthesizer are the subject of Moog, a documentary featuring original compositions using the instrument by bands inlcuding Devo, Meat Beat Manifesto, Orbital, DJ Spooky, The Album Leaf, Money Mark, and... of course, Stereolab.