The last few weeks have been the equivalent of a musical doldrums for me. It had been a while since anything new passed my ears, so I decided to change that — kind of a reward for having managed to make it through a rough couple of week. It’s good to reward yourself every now and again, lest you go mad from monotony.
Anyway, last night I took the chance to dig into the the CD I ordered, “Another One Lost” by the band Lake Trout. It had been a while since I had anything new to listen to from the Baltimore quintet, and if there was one thing going to see their live shows taught me is to dive in without any preconceived notions of what to expect.
While the bio on their web site talks of comparisons to The Talking Heads, Pink Floyd, Aphex Twin and Kool Keith for the many different styles that are mixed in I find it strange that Radiohead is not listed among them, because I find them reaching the same plateau as far as mixing such disperse sounds in making their captivating music; decidedly with their own style and taste to it, but the path seems similar.
I’m still digesting the album on the whole but there are already some standouts. The opening track “Stutter” alone is worth the price of admission, with a gritty and gripping sound. “Bliss” plays heavy on its drum and bass influence which is absolutely enthralling. The ghostly “Still” pulls layers onto it like blankets of fog and “Look Who It Is” is as dark and brooding as it is ethereal, and about as close to anything from prior studio efforts as you are going to get on this album.
“Look Who It Is” also happens to be the longest track on an otherwise three and a half minute love fest, coming in at at 7:24. Out of the 13 tracks only three manage to break the four minute mark. Not that this is a bad thing in the slightest, but I certainly didn’t see it coming from a band that I’ve seen stretch some incredibly long jams.
And then there is the “Super Tagged” special, which is publicist speak for an extra track. The way they handled this I consider a stroke of mild genius. The disc contains a separate computer accessible track with a 30 minute long MP3 of a live recording they did at the XM Radio Studios, not to mention a link to a special section of their web site with video clips and other goodies. This bumps total playing time up to to 80 minute range, which makes me feel like I completely got my money’s worth and then some.
It’s been an interesting progression to watch the sound move from almost straight jazz to a classification nightmare that refuses to be pigeonholed. As always, the band seems to be moving into new and interesting directions while refining their own flavor, and I can’t wait to see where the next steps lead.
That’s why I’m a fan.