Albums to watch

Beacons Of Ancestorship

Tortoise

Beacons Of Ancestorship

First release in over five years from the Chicago instrumental post-rock experimentalists

ADM rating[?]

6.7

Label
Thrill Jockey
UK Release date
23/06/2009
  1. 9.0 |   musicOMH

    Godfathers of Post-Rock, then? Much, much more than this, surely, on this album's evidence alone. Call it the fascinating intersection of jazz, lounge, prog and electro, if you must, but ultimately Tortoise produce music of the most valuable and enduring kind - beyond genres and labels, in a category all of its own
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  2. 8.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    Ultimately, Beacons Of Ancestorship is pretty much what the avid Tortoise fan would consider par for the course, in that its a veering cascade of inherent surprises that never fails to astound, amaze or disappoint. What messrs McEntire, McCombs, Parker, Herndon and Bitney have in store for their next instalment only they can possibly harbour, but one things for sure, only a fool would bet against them confounding the term 're-invention' once more
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  3. 7.9 |   Pitchfork

    For most bands, Beacons of Ancestorship would be the very definition of an ambitious record-- commanding, aiming for conceptual unity and broad scope. But this mode seems to come naturally for Tortoise, and their mastery of it accounts for the record's broad successes and slight drawbacks alike
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  4. 7.0 |   PopMatters

    This album is what happens when the cool edges of electronics meets with the blood surge of artistic creation. And when those two fronts collide, and the storm starts, just stand there, and feel each drop as it hits you, and go ahead and get soaked
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  5. 7.0 |   The Quietus

    That its quality is uneven in the end hardly seems to matter. It's as if, realising their judiciously timed bon mots are no longer having the desired effect on the present company, Tortoise have started hurling themselves about the room in the most amusing manner possible. And suddenly they're right back on top again
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  6. 4.0 |   Q

    Print edition only


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