Gastr Del Sol – Camoufleur

repress announced today

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ALL THE PIECES are back in place - albeit reshuffled with removed complications of atonality and the arcane math - and set in motion once again for the creative genius behind David Grubbs and Jim O'Rourke and the on-again-off-again project known as GASTR DEL SOL. Joining them this time around is Markus Popp, the man behind OVAL whose contributions can be fully felt on "A Puff Of Dew." Surprisingly they've sculptured a sound that is by far their most "conventional" to date. Less emphasis is placed on complex tonal patterns or the linguistic word play by which David often prefers to inject his lyrics into experimental and often times cold melodies. Matter of fact the listener will be delighted at hearing familiar rhythm patterns as the foundation to all eight songs - still employing a touch of exploratory embroidery but much less upfront. Grubb's "sings" more on this record and is joined by Edith Frost on "Each Dream Is An Example"; but his trademark tone poems re-surface on "A Puff Of Dew." Collaborations with Popp have a subtle payoff effect. The very beautiful pedal steel guitar in "Mouth Canyon" is lilting, adding romance to the words with just a faint countryfied feel. "Bauchredner" is an exercise in traversing the fretboard with a one finger slide while the other picks a Fahey inspired chord progression and some how make a remarkable song out of it. The second phase of the song shifts tempo breaking down into a shuffle, replete with drumming from John McEntire; horns and harmonising violins - reminding us - of their once rock roots. Stranger things have happened. The band just opened the door. Upon first glance, this is a much less forbidding music to the listener...