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Tulsa Drone, "No Wake"
Dry County
Wading out of the woods and into the snow with a sound all their own,Tulsa Drone cause a range of emotions to well up on their powerfuldebut. Guitar/bass/drums/hammered dulcimer is not a combination onehears everyday, and as soon as the slight strangeness of it all faded Isettled in for whatever came next. Lo and behold, they have somethinghere, as this is the most unique and powerful music I have heard inmonths. It puts me in a place of complete wonder, like a little boystepping into a new experience like flying on an airplane for the firsttime. Tulsa Drone have been using trains in their promotional postersrecently, and to me that's extremely appropriate, as their music is adrifter's: hopping train car to train car looking for work in the nexttown, trying desperately to improve a station of life that was down andout to begin with. The Drone in their name is a bit of a misnomer tome, as there is no real drone in this music, no constant that echoes inand out on itself that continues for minutes. That's not a complaint,though, as they've certainly manufactured some fine moments on theirfirst recording. The melodic beginnings of "Chiaroscuro" are stirring,with production heavy on the bass side, and a genuine feel for thedramatic. As the guitars flare, the bass and dulcimer rise to meetthem, then all tumble like lovers together back to the base. "Vendetta"steps up the dulcimer to main instrument status, letting everythingbuild around it, with Spanish guitar and arpreggios painting thepicture of the score that needs settling. Occasionally there are hornsor other sounds added for a little spice or variation, but for the mostpart the music is the same core. I found it fascinating that they foundso many different approaches with the same instruments, and so manythemes to operate under. Some hear "drone" and think "boring." Ifnothing else Tulsa Drone prove that wrong, but at their best the createa new horizon to look towards.
Wading out of the woods and into the snow with a sound all their own,Tulsa Drone cause a range of emotions to well up on their powerfuldebut. Guitar/bass/drums/hammered dulcimer is not a combination onehears everyday, and as soon as the slight strangeness of it all faded Isettled in for whatever came next. Lo and behold, they have somethinghere, as this is the most unique and powerful music I have heard inmonths. It puts me in a place of complete wonder, like a little boystepping into a new experience like flying on an airplane for the firsttime. Tulsa Drone have been using trains in their promotional postersrecently, and to me that's extremely appropriate, as their music is adrifter's: hopping train car to train car looking for work in the nexttown, trying desperately to improve a station of life that was down andout to begin with. The Drone in their name is a bit of a misnomer tome, as there is no real drone in this music, no constant that echoes inand out on itself that continues for minutes. That's not a complaint,though, as they've certainly manufactured some fine moments on theirfirst recording. The melodic beginnings of "Chiaroscuro" are stirring,with production heavy on the bass side, and a genuine feel for thedramatic. As the guitars flare, the bass and dulcimer rise to meetthem, then all tumble like lovers together back to the base. "Vendetta"steps up the dulcimer to main instrument status, letting everythingbuild around it, with Spanish guitar and arpreggios painting thepicture of the score that needs settling. Occasionally there are hornsor other sounds added for a little spice or variation, but for the mostpart the music is the same core. I found it fascinating that they foundso many different approaches with the same instruments, and so manythemes to operate under. Some hear "drone" and think "boring." Ifnothing else Tulsa Drone prove that wrong, but at their best the createa new horizon to look towards.
