Beacons of Ancestorship (Bonus Track Version)
Tortoise
View More by this ArtistOpen iTunes to preview, buy, and download songs from Tortoise
| Name | Artist | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High Class Slim Came Floatin' In | Tortoise | 8:16 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 2 | Prepare Your Coffin | Tortoise | 3:39 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 3 | Northern Something | Tortoise | 2:26 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 4 | Gigantes | Tortoise | 6:23 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 5 | Penumbra | Tortoise | 1:09 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 6 | Yinxianghechengqi | Tortoise | 3:39 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 7 | The Fall of Seven Diamonds Plus One | Tortoise | 3:42 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 8 | Minors | Tortoise | 4:25 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 9 | Monument Six One Thousand | Tortoise | 3:24 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 10 | De Chelly | Tortoise | 1:48 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 11 | Charteroak Foundation | Tortoise | 5:09 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 12 | Ice Ice Gravy (Bonus Track) | Tortoise | 12:53 | Album Only | View In iTunes |
| Total: 12 Songs |
iTunes Review
As the prime movers of the instrumental post-rock scene, Chicago’s Tortoise have single-handedly injected a level of musical virtuosity not often associated with the indie-rock genre. However, the band has always understood that a flurry of notes alone does not make a group and have centered their explorations on muscular grooves that reflect the autodrones of Kraftwerk. Their sixth studio album and first in five years, Beacons of Ancestorship stakes out some new territory in its Moog-loving keyboard excursions. Their love of primitive, funky synths gives a sinister ‘80s video game appeal to much of what they do. When they turn it up for overdrive on “Yinxianghechengqi,” the sound turns ominous and grinding and makes the album’s previous dark excursions — “High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In,” “Prepare Your Coffin” — sound positively jovial. “The Fall of Seven Diamonds Plus One” is their standard Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti-western homage. “Minors” has a subtle funk under its placid, pleasing tones. Tortoise makes background music that refuses to stay in the background.
Recent Customer Reviews
Coffin = prepared
by mr2percentOn their latest, Tortoise make a return to more experimental territory. 2004's "It's All Around You", for all its strengths, lacked the experimentation and unpredictability that previous albums (2001's "Standards", 1998's "TNT" and 1996's seminal "Millions Now Living...") enjoyed. It was, for lack of a better phrase, "tortoise by-the-numbers". Not necessarily a bad thing, but the album didn't hold up as well on repeated listens.
"Beacons of Ancestorship" takes the Tortoise sound (which, admittedly, is difficult to describe) and adds several new layers to digest. As always, analog syntheziers buzz wildly throughout, jazz guitar punctuates and provokes, and polyrhythmic percussion dominates. it's when the band introduces something new and out of left field where the album ultimately succeeds.
For instance, "Penumbra" wouldn't sound out of place on one of Madlib's "Beat Konducta" compilations, "Gigantes" adds a touch of the Far East, "Charteroak Foundation" sounds ahead of the beat and right on time simultaneously, and "Yinxianghechenqi" adds a raw energetic tone previously unheard in the Tortoise universe.
But it is the album's opening one-two punch that is most impressive. "High Class Slim Came Floatin' In" and "Prepare you Coffin" set the tone for this album. Tortoise hasn't hit such a high in only two songs since the "Djed"/"Glass Museum" pairing on "Millions Now Living Will Never Die".
It'll undoubtedly end up in my end of the year top ten, and if you're a Tortoise fan, I highly recommend it.
Grr...
by a bunnyI bought the CD today ($15.99) in order to get the highest fidelity available. Unfortunately, it doesn't contain the Ice Ice Gravy bonus track. I'd be glad to pay Apple $.99 to get it, but you have to buy the rest of the tracks for ten dollars just to get it. As much as I like Tortoise, ten bucks for one track is rather a waste...
THIS is what I'm talking about!
by Julian B.Hooray! Tortoise have finally grown fully aware as to who they are as a band! The last album, while great on it's own, was a bit frustrating for me. It seemed like Tortoise was stuck with a specific sound, and they were just going through the motions...creating great music but not really exploring the world outside of their shell. (Sorry) It's worth noting that Tortoise do certainly have "a sound", though on this album is much more subtile. You've got to know what to look for. Show this album to a casual fan, however, and they'll swear it's something from the Warp Records label. This is a very refreshing, different direction for the band, as they're embrasing their electronic/synth roots while somehow still making it sound organic. Clever use of samples, live drumming, jazzy guitars and fuzzy bass make "Beacons of Ancestorship" stand out. There's nothing else in Tortoise's discography that sounds anything like this, and believe it or not, that's an awesome thing.
Biography
Formed: 1990 in Chicago, IL
Genre: Alternative
Years Active: '90s, '00s
Top Albums and Songs by Tortoise
| Name | Album | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High Class Slim Came Floatin' In | Beacons of Ancestorship (Bonus Track Version) | 8:16 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 2 | Beautiful Love | Moog (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) | 4:42 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 3 | Glass Museum | Millions Now Living Will Never Die | 5:27 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 4 | Prepare Your Coffin | Beacons of Ancestorship (Bonus Track Version) | 3:39 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| 5 | Dear Grandma and Grandpa | Millions Now Living Will Never Die | 2:49 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
- $9.99
- Genres: Rock, Music, Alternative, Indie Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
- Released: Jun 23, 2009
- ℗ 2009 Thrill Jockey Records
