Customer Reviews

Easy Pieces

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4 star:		(1)
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The best way to describe Lateduster is a jazz-electronica instrumental with melancholy undertones, a nice blend. I put this on all the time, it puts you in a good mood. Great to have in the backround for doing work or just something to fall asleep to... Overall excellent music in any occasion. Highly recommended.

R_Garcia's igloomag.com REVIEW ::
(01.30.06) Not usually known for post-jazz-rock musings, Miami electronic label Merck has boldly leant its soapbox to a tremendously talented group of instrumental experimentalists from Minneapolis known as Lateduster. Since their formation in 1999, Lateduster has undergone some minor line-up and name changes before finally settling down as Andrew Broder, Martin Dash, JG Everest, and Bryan Olson -- each a multi-instrumental contributor to these so-called Easy Pieces.

At first listen, Lateduster displays some obvious similarities to other modern instrumental groups (Jaga Jazzist/Tortoise). However, this band offers a unique and refreshing sense of freedom in their compositions, shifting gears from the electronically-treated jamming of album opener "Shaker/Flicker" to the hauntingly introverted piano of "Keno." "Sonata" takes us on a disjointed and cinematic ride through the twilight urban landscape before "Hospital no.32" treats our psychic bed spins -- all the while "Love Theme" is there waiting to gently massage our tired feet after a hard day's listen.

The complexity of the music on Easy Pieces is balanced rather beautifully by the palatability of the sounds contained within. The electric pianos are as warm as a mother's hum, the drums -- flat and crisp as a tortilla for the rest of the band to fill in and overflow from. It is a bountiful feast of tones and moods with bits of jazzy guitar poking out here and there. Easy Pieces, much like the cover art accompanying it, is a work of both natural and geometric shapes; perfect in imperfection.

For starters, an easy description of the music on this disc would be if members of Tortoise and Godspeed!youblackemperror played together--you get the best of both worlds here--cool, alien electro-jazziness meets spooky, atmospheric rock instrumental goodness. However, despite this lazy description, Lateduster are in a category all of their own and must be heard to be believed. This is pure beauty in the form of sound. It's reflective, thougtful, thought-provoking stuff, both saddening and utterly life-affirming music. The cover art goes so perfectly with the music on disc--a lush garden of multi-hued flowers and vegetation seen through a kaleidoscopic eye--a perfect visual description to this rich, warm tapestry of audio delights. Not to be slept on.