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The Nels Cline Singers, "The Giant Pin"
A little bit of everything from a guitarist who is the definition of prolific.
CryptoGramophone
Nels Cline has played on more records than most people own, so when he has a new record out under his own name, I'm immediately interested in what he'll be doing. Cline is chameleon-like with his playing, shifting into roles and styles with a fluid ease that is a testament not only to his skill with the guitar, but to his work ethic. His latest project under the name "The Nels Cline Singers" is a collection of songs that shows off his jazz riffing as well as his melancholic rock stylings in equal doses. The album begins with a pair of tracks that would seem to fit well into the CryptoGramophone catalog of noodling improvisation and experimental if not totally off-the-wall jazz. But I'm more a fan of Cline's work with a distortion pedal, and beginning with "He Still Carries A Torch for Her", there's plenty of that too. Cline's guitar must be one of the saddest sounding instruments in the world, as if the the very neck and body and strings of it were crafted from heartache distilled into resin and wood and steel. The beautifully slow and aching "Something About David H." recalls Cline's best moments from the wonderful and underappreciated Scarnella record, and it brings along some of the droning spaciousness of his more avant ambient recordings. "A Boy Needs a Door" is a workout of loops and effects and distant, unrecognizable tones that creep around the stereo field, playing tag with Cline's clean melodic plucking. By the ninth track, Cline and his "singers" (there aren't really any vocalists) have aired it out and are going for the all out fuzz rock assault that must seem like a jarring change of pace for regular CryptoGramophone listeners, but kind of makes sense here as just another dimension to an artist who isn't limited by expectations and pre-determined style cues. Cline is now a much-publicized member of Wilco, something that will add to his indie cred, (not that he needs it) but records like this one show off another dimension to his work; something beyond the typical 'plays well with others'. Here's to hoping Wilco and session work don't dominate his creative time. The world needs more Nels Cline records. samples:
Nels Cline has played on more records than most people own, so when he has a new record out under his own name, I'm immediately interested in what he'll be doing. Cline is chameleon-like with his playing, shifting into roles and styles with a fluid ease that is a testament not only to his skill with the guitar, but to his work ethic. His latest project under the name "The Nels Cline Singers" is a collection of songs that shows off his jazz riffing as well as his melancholic rock stylings in equal doses. The album begins with a pair of tracks that would seem to fit well into the CryptoGramophone catalog of noodling improvisation and experimental if not totally off-the-wall jazz. But I'm more a fan of Cline's work with a distortion pedal, and beginning with "He Still Carries A Torch for Her", there's plenty of that too. Cline's guitar must be one of the saddest sounding instruments in the world, as if the the very neck and body and strings of it were crafted from heartache distilled into resin and wood and steel. The beautifully slow and aching "Something About David H." recalls Cline's best moments from the wonderful and underappreciated Scarnella record, and it brings along some of the droning spaciousness of his more avant ambient recordings. "A Boy Needs a Door" is a workout of loops and effects and distant, unrecognizable tones that creep around the stereo field, playing tag with Cline's clean melodic plucking. By the ninth track, Cline and his "singers" (there aren't really any vocalists) have aired it out and are going for the all out fuzz rock assault that must seem like a jarring change of pace for regular CryptoGramophone listeners, but kind of makes sense here as just another dimension to an artist who isn't limited by expectations and pre-determined style cues. Cline is now a much-publicized member of Wilco, something that will add to his indie cred, (not that he needs it) but records like this one show off another dimension to his work; something beyond the typical 'plays well with others'. Here's to hoping Wilco and session work don't dominate his creative time. The world needs more Nels Cline records. samples:
