Sigh
I'm a Deck | 02/01/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Ok so I love Drums & Tuba, I really do, I've seen them like 7 or 8 times, every time they pass through my hood, I'm there, and this band is definitely best served live. I'm not dissin the recordings, as they are fine as well, and I've spent a many times listening to them. The three before this one especially, starting with Mostly Ape which was my introduction to this band and truly amazing, then the odds and ends of Gas Up and Blow Up and then of course the Live Cd, which actually features a song from our humble town.
Hey let's get to this record though, ok so when you see a band like this every time they come around and they come around a lot, you hear the songs evolve and that is an amazing process, and so when they started to add voice to the music, it was actually Brian Wolff the Tuba player who would run his voice through his amazing effects machine and the result was excellent, especially since it was minimal and used like an instrument, more for the notes rather than the words which you couldn't really make out with the thick effects on it in one listening. So when hearing this live, I was super excited about the new record, so excited in fact that I ordered it way ahead of time, just to get a poster and a special 7inch. However when I got the record and started to listen to it, I quickly realized that something unfortunate had happened. I would like to at this time point out that I have nothing but love for bands that evolve and change, it is far better than to stay the same and get pigeon holed into some sort of self standard that is one of the greatest killers of creativity. However I do have to say that, at some point this band took a sharp turn and maybe I'm not enlightened enough to follow them just yet, maybe they will develop this style into something as interesting as their previous experiments. The few things that have changed, this CD except for one song called Magnum Opie (or Epic as is listed on this site) have the vocals of Tony Nozero, who is an excellent drummer, but the vocals are just raw, with no effects, and the songs are basically indie rock songs. The layering this band would do live on this cd is now just straight forward rock, which unfortunately translates live as well.
I wish the songs I had heard live before with the Brian Wolff vocals would of made it on this album, and if it had been more half and half with the Tony Nozero vocals this release would have been good, but Tony's vocals don't change much from song to song and get tired. My favorite song on the album is Magnum Opie which is the longest track at 10:34 minutes and is instrumental, but I do also enjoy Four Notes of April which does have vocals but manages to somehow fit better. I still love the band and I really want to know what they will come out with next, but I would also love a cd of Odds and Ends of Battles Ole, like they did for Mostly Ape, as I'm sure lots of the songs they threw away might have been far better than what lots of bands put on their main releases. In the mean time I am exploring this band backwards to their first releases, and it's fun to see just how much they have evolved over the years."
Hells yea
Paul D. Lyons | 12/14/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album still doesn't have the raw force in which Drums & Tuba envelope you during a live show, but it's absolutely terrific. Actually, compared to all of their other albums, even their previous one, Mostly Ape, it is infinitely closer to the genuine, live article.
On Battles Ole, D&T show a lot of maturity that their records didn't have before. They bring a very wide variety of beats and styles. Yes, it's very psychedelic and jammy, but there is no aimless noodling. Tasteful until the disc stops.
For those of you who have never heard Drums & Tuba, it's pretty wild. Straightforward and enjoyable rock and funk drumming. Looped tuba bass-lines and layered guitar. Rather effects-heavy. Other instruments come in too, such as organ and trumpet. Equal emphasis on groove and melody. Serious musicians, but also very playful. These guys are up there with the best live acts I've ever seen. The most amazing swirl of sound and energy.
I highly recommend this to anyone with a taste for unconventional rock."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1