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The inaugural album of Austin’s Silent Land Time Machine has finally arrived after at least a year of waiting, & Hope Still… - co-produced under Time-Lag Records (in Maine) and SLTM’s own Indian Queen Records - does not disappoint. At all. Fueled by a cadre of instruments and energy, a unique and fulfilling sound permeates the entire album and allows for a range of emotions across its 7 largely instrumental tracks. It’s an aural document as fascinating as the sepia dripping artwork in which the cd is enclosed.
The album launches with a high-energy, polyphonic locomotive in “Everything Goes to Shit.” With a somber and pensive melody, it is difficult to imagine the song - which is filled with a beautiful and at times cacophonous assortment of accordion, slide guitar, and viola - come from only one man. Looping like a masterful acrobat, SLTM layers melodies until they’re swerving into one another, but never loses the tight focus of the bottom line. The second song, “I Shouldn’t be in School,” winds behind multiple violin tracks with an impressive force on par with My Education, while the third, aptly titled “The Thing This Doesn’t Mean Is Nothing,” wharfs a wash of soft ambience and serendipitous sound that ebbs and flows through a 10 minute flood.
Track 5, “Electronic Transmission(s)”continues the melodic energy of the opener with an honest and electronic driving force, and “Down the Hill” slowly mesmerizing in an unfolding tumble. While his warp of strings can sometimes become dizzying and his effects peddles often get more play than his notes, as on moments of the over 13 minute closer, “Copperpot Topography,” SLTM compellingly draws the listener into his vision and continually surprises upon each listen.
Though SLTM is a one-man, self-taught orchestra, he weaves an eloquent musical vocabulary that shows as much promise as some of Austin’s best instrumental acts – the subtle beauty of Balmorhea and the eclectic sweep of The Calm Blue Sea and experimental flourishes of My Education . Though & Hope Still… is a wonderful tapestry in itself, SLTM also shines during his performances - no two of which are ever alike. To quote Aurgasm, an mp3 blog on which SLTM was featured last summer: “Nostalgic polaroids flip while your odometer flips forward.”
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All of these folk, and instrumental bands. And glowing praise they get here at the Austinist not attacking this band in particular but can’t you guys review something else.
I don’t think this is the Austinist?
sorry meant to say “and the glowing praise they get here and at the Austinist” Sorry for the confusion
I don’t know, I see your point but I think that has more to do with the bands that are active (and good) in Austin right now.
I will not disagree that there are a lot of active folk rock and instrumental bands but their are ton of greats bands that do other things. In general their are a ton of bands in Austin in every genre, I just think in particular folk rock bands and instrumental bands get written up at these two websites so much is because they are easy listening to not because they are good.
Of course some are good but I don’t buy that they are any better than the 10th best garage band , indie rock, indie pop, metal, bar band, punk band, funk, rap, blues, etc. The only difference is those bands don’t get written about (for good reason) only the top 2 or 3 do. With folk/instrumental you play couple of shows and you put out a demo and you get 12 write ups. I just think there is reason ksgr, kut, and chronicle exist and they do same thing (with folk not instrumental). I think I was just hoping that these two sites (which I love by the way) would be more balanced.
Also I think the Austinist is far more guilty in this than this site but I also think Austin Sound could do better to.