SATCHMO

It's not amazing to see a lot neo-traditional jazz artists falling short in their attempt to emulate the essence of jazz's golden age. So much of the greatness of certain periods of musical history is dependent on the respective cultural zeitgeist that inspired it. It cannot be recreated, only replicated. Some would go so far as to say that jazz is dead. I just think it has shed its skin. Its traded in its pork pie hat for something a little less, or more, disenfranchised.

Tortoise have been largely considered the godfathers of the post-rock movement, but in the 90's "post-rock" as a catch all term was not readily available. Their music preceded any apt classification that comfortably contained it. To me, and to the small but growing fan base, this was jazz.

Millions Now Living Will Never Die is an excellent example of a piece of music reflecting the jazz essence of the contemporary culture and social climate of the 90's as being an incubatory period between the excesses of the 80's and the stark repercussions that have reverberated into this millenium.

Experimental in nature yet always cohesive Millions transitions frequently between ambient introspective soundscapes and aggressive indie rock-esque structured themes and everywhere in between. It is definitely an album like all Tortoise albums that evades description and categorization and begs to simply be appreciated.

Recommended tracks : DJed, Glass Museum, The Taut and the Tame

Janszoon

Man I love that Tortoise album. Haven't heard it in forever though.

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A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man

Time & Place

25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die

last.fm

SATCHMO

Yeah, It'd been a while for me too. I didn't know how much I missed it until I got it recently. It's aged really well

jackhammer

I only have Tortoise's debut and can't remember being blown away by it. Maybe it need's revisiting.

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SATCHMO

While I don't think its a bad album, their s/t debut is definitely my least favorite.

Schizotypic

Man, I seriously wanted to see this thing finished. =(

SATCHMO

Man well got on with it then.........Tomorrow. It's 4:30 am.

333

Promises, promises.

SATCHMO

" In 1969 or 1970, I began to re-evaluate my whole concept of what I wanted my music to say... I was very much affected by letters my brother was sending me from Vietnam, as well as the social situation here at home. I realized that I had to put my own fantasies behind me if I wanted to write songs that would reach the souls of people. I wanted them to take a look at what was happening in the world."
—Marvin Gaye


I think the above quote exemplifies the greatness and depth of Marvin Gaye's Monumental album much greater than my own words ever could. It is a musical work that has profound significance not only in its own prophetic nature regarding the state of our world today, but also, on a personal level, it's release just weeks prior to my own birth in the early summer of 71' echoes my own evolving perceptions of the quickly shrinking world around me and my relationship to all of its inhabitants.

Much more than this, this album symbolizes an auspicious moment in the history of modern music as it is the first album of which Motown's own house band The Funk Brothers were publicly credited for their work on a Motown album. All this seems fairly inconsequential until you take into consideration that since beginning recording with the Motown record label in 1959 The Funk Brothers had the majority share in creating more #1 hits than Elvis, The Beatles, and Michael Jackson combined.

This album is largely considered a song cycle. Similar to what most of us more familiarly know as a concept album, a song cycle not only shares the same lyrical and narrative themes but stays within a dominant key, time signature, and rhythm structure as well, and often returns to the central musical theme from whence it came. This album, even for Motown soul, is very jazzy and laid back in nature. More notably, besides Gaye, are the contributions of legendary bassist James Jamerson providing the soulful forward momentum that propels the album from beginning to end and tenor saxophone player Eli Fountain interjecting his own musical commentary often reinforcing and affirming Marvin's own. Make no mistake, The Funk Brother's as a whole are a cohesive and intuitive musical entity and one must notice while listening the way in which all the musicians seem to nod and "amen" the sentiments expressed by Marvin throughout the course of the album; both musicians and singer perpetuating and promoting the call to its purpose.

What's Going On is replete with seemingly contradictory, yet in this case very harmonious themes such as warning and lament for the destruction of the environment overlayed with music that could best be described as soulful and rejoicing. It is a call for us to acknowledge and revel in the intimacy and connection we all share with our fellow brothers and sisters of this planet, and to take care and be good stewards to the world we live in. It's very laid back and embracing musical backdrop is every bit as much an invitation to do just that.

jackhammer

I fucking love this album. Inner City Blues is one of the finest songs ever written. Great review Satch.

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