Gastr del Sol: Difference between revisions
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'''Gastr del Sol''' were a [[United States|U.S.]] band formed in [[Chicago]] in 1991 consisting of, in their most famous line-up, [[David Grubbs]], [[Jim O'Rourke]] and [[John McEntire]]. Between 1993 and 1998 they put out six records ranging in genre from [[post rock]], the scene they were most associated with, to [[avant-garde jazz]] and [[Musique concrète]]. |
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'''Gastr del Sol''' is an oft-cited stalwart of what is sometimes termed the "[[post-rock]]" movement of the 1990s. Based in Chicago, Gastr del Sol explored idiosyncratic sonic textures, veering from avant-garde punk to atonal songcraft to [[Musique concrète]] to composition for small orchestra. |
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Formed by Grubbs, a former member of the [[Louisville, Kentucky]] based [[Squirrel Bait]] Gastr del Sol released their first album [[The Serpentine Similar]] in 1993. This early line up saw Grubbs joined by [[Bundy K. Brown]] on [[bass guitar]] and [[John McEntire]] on [[drums]]. Brown left to play in [[Tortoise_(band)|Tortoise]] in 1994 and Grubbs and McEntire were joined by the guitarist, composer and producer [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]]. At this point Gastr del Sol became mainly a collaboration between Grubbbs and O'Rourke, the two names being the ones most commonly associated with the band. |
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The group began as the brain-child of [[David Grubbs]], an alumnus of the Louisville, KY punk rock scene that produced [[Squirrel Bait]] and [[Slint]], the former of which he was a member. A few years after Grubbs's arrival in Chicago, his esoteric punk group [[Bastro]] metamorphosed into Gastr del Sol. |
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| ⚫ | The bulk of this line-up's catalogue was released by Chicago's [[Drag City Records]], beginning with 1994's acoustic guitar-based [[Crookt, Crackt, or Fly]]. "Work From Smoke,", the centerpiece of this album fused Grubbs and O'Rourke's penchant for atonal guitar interplay with [[bass clarinet]] and Grubbs's increasingly absurdist lyrics. |
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With the release of 1993's ''The Serpentine Similar'' on Teenbeat Records, Grubbs and his former Bastro colleagues [[Bundy K. Brown]] (bass) and [[John McEntire]] (drums) traded the more traditional arrangements of punk rock for a literate, meandering yet often poignant approach. The slippery tones of Brown's bass provided a counterpoint to Grubbs's clean electric guitar and naked piano. The appearance of drums was rare but satisfying. |
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| ⚫ | Crookt, Crackt, or Fly was quickly followed by a pair of releases in 1995, the ''Mirror Repair'' EP bringing in elements of [[electronic music]] and The Harp Factory on Lake Street, released on the experimental Table of the Elements label, being a piece for chamber orchestra, with the sparse appearance of Grubbs's voice and piano. |
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In the following year, the guitarist, composer and all-around production guru [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]] entered the fray and Brown (who at the time was busy enough with his other projects, including—with McEntire—the seminal post-rock act [[Tortoise_(band)|Tortoise]]) left the band. With O'Rourke's arrival, Gastr del Sol became a more or less equal collaboration between he and Grubbs. Although it is difficult spot precisely who did what, it appears that lyrics were Grubbs's domain and production and tape manipulation were O'Rourke's, with both of these able musicians handling instrumental duties as desired, with the occasional appearance of McEntire on drums and other musicians on an auxiliary basis. |
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1996's [[Upgrade & Afterlife]] included "Our Exquisite Replica of 'Eternity'", a would-be film score by O'Rourke and an extended interpretation of the [[John Fahey]] piece "Dry Bones in the Valley." |
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| ⚫ | The bulk of this line-up's catalogue was released by Chicago's [[Drag City Records]], beginning with 1994's |
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| ⚫ | With the release of [[Camoufleur]] in 1998, Gastr del Sol veered further into the realm of conventional melodies and chamber pop creating their most accessible and popular album. In its accessible chord patterns, melodies and [[flugelhorn]] and string-heavy arrangements, it resembles some of the solo releases (like [[Eureka (Jim O'Rourke album)|Eureka]] and [[Halfway to a Threeway]]) that O'Rourke would go on to record. |
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After Camofleur the band Grubbs's and O'Rourke both continued producing music in solo careers, Grubbs with 1996's [[Banana Cabbage, Potato Lettuce, Onion Orange]] and O'Rourke, who had also released many albums prior to and during his time in Gastr del Sol with [[Eureka (Jim O'Rourke album)|Eureka]]. |
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1996's ''Upgrade & Afterlife'' is a rich listening experience, with several of Gastr's standard quiet, angular songs bookended by a would-be O'Rourke film score, "Our Exquisite Replica of 'Eternity'", and an extended interpretation of the [[John Fahey]] piece "Dry Bones in the Valley." Of the songs, "Rebecca Sylvester" is especially noteworthy in that its pretty yet mysterious coda section hints at the chamber pop to come with their final release. |
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| ⚫ | With the release of |
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With David Grubbs's technically flawless acoustic guitar work in the final track "Bauchredner," however, it is clear that the halves of Gastr del Sol just had too much talent between them to go on as a group. O'Rourke, who had released dozens of experimental albums previous and concurrent to Gastr del Sol, went on to release a number of excellent and generally accessible albums, beginning with 1997's ''Bad Timing''. Grubbs's foray into solodom began with 1996's ''Banana Cabbage, Potato Lettuce, Onion Orange''. |
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==Discography== |
==Discography== |
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Revision as of 17:20, 11 July 2006
Gastr del Sol were a U.S. band formed in Chicago in 1991 consisting of, in their most famous line-up, David Grubbs, Jim O'Rourke and John McEntire. Between 1993 and 1998 they put out six records ranging in genre from post rock, the scene they were most associated with, to avant-garde jazz and Musique concrète.
Formed by Grubbs, a former member of the Louisville, Kentucky based Squirrel Bait Gastr del Sol released their first album The Serpentine Similar in 1993. This early line up saw Grubbs joined by Bundy K. Brown on bass guitar and John McEntire on drums. Brown left to play in Tortoise in 1994 and Grubbs and McEntire were joined by the guitarist, composer and producer Jim O'Rourke. At this point Gastr del Sol became mainly a collaboration between Grubbbs and O'Rourke, the two names being the ones most commonly associated with the band.
The bulk of this line-up's catalogue was released by Chicago's Drag City Records, beginning with 1994's acoustic guitar-based Crookt, Crackt, or Fly. "Work From Smoke,", the centerpiece of this album fused Grubbs and O'Rourke's penchant for atonal guitar interplay with bass clarinet and Grubbs's increasingly absurdist lyrics.
Crookt, Crackt, or Fly was quickly followed by a pair of releases in 1995, the Mirror Repair EP bringing in elements of electronic music and The Harp Factory on Lake Street, released on the experimental Table of the Elements label, being a piece for chamber orchestra, with the sparse appearance of Grubbs's voice and piano.
1996's Upgrade & Afterlife included "Our Exquisite Replica of 'Eternity'", a would-be film score by O'Rourke and an extended interpretation of the John Fahey piece "Dry Bones in the Valley."
With the release of Camoufleur in 1998, Gastr del Sol veered further into the realm of conventional melodies and chamber pop creating their most accessible and popular album. In its accessible chord patterns, melodies and flugelhorn and string-heavy arrangements, it resembles some of the solo releases (like Eureka and Halfway to a Threeway) that O'Rourke would go on to record.
After Camofleur the band Grubbs's and O'Rourke both continued producing music in solo careers, Grubbs with 1996's Banana Cabbage, Potato Lettuce, Onion Orange and O'Rourke, who had also released many albums prior to and during his time in Gastr del Sol with Eureka.
Discography
- The Serpentine Similar (Teenbeat/Drag City 1993)
- Crookt, Crackt, or Fly (Drag City 1994)
- Mirror Repair (Drag City 1995)
- The Harp Factory on Lake Street (Table of the Elements 1995)
- Upgrade & Afterlife (Drag City1996)
- Camoufleur (Drag City 1998)