CD Review

Before jam bands of today focused on taking organic instrumental improvisation to unheard territories, there was the Chicago collective known at Tortoise. Fusing shades of electronica, dub, modern jazz, 70’s progressive rock, and jam sensibilities to the forefront of the indie post rock scene in the mid 90’s, Tortoise jammed before most others even dared to. With their 1996 landmark release Millions Now Living Will Never Die, which featured the epic, "Djed," the band proudly bridged the gap between indie rock and avant-garde and steadfastly returned the favor with their forthcoming brave albums.

On their fifth full length recording -It’s All Around You - Tortoise has made their first album without a single lineup change. As one of the few bands that always produce their own records, Tortoise literally takes matters into their own hands, making way for a dreamy affair. The band gives a new age vocal orchestration to "The Lithium Stiffs" that is a slow building crescendo. It is their first song with vocals since "Night Air" off their self-titled debut. The album moves in slow transcendental fashion, making you believe the real Tortoise is hiding in a shell, just waiting to come back out. Like a submissive movie score, It’s All Around You moves with a swirling, new age psychedelic force that is hypnotic, but as a result carries non-stimulating results. "On The Chin" with its edgy surf guitar karma hits hard, but then rest of the album just kind of floats along – kind of going on a linear path, that in the end keeps you searching for a way back up.