Even if I know I’ve made a mistake, I’ve arrived at some sort of conclusion. [On “L’Autre Cap”], I wanted to make an album to encapsulate this. -Tori Kudo

You all knew it was coming soon or later.

The new Maher Shalal Has Baz album has been out for about a month now and I’ve been giving it pretty religious listening; trying to figure out what it is about it that makes it so hard to describe (Tori Kudo in general, not this album specifically). Personally I blame Tori Kudo for having to transcend so many genres simultaneously.

In places it’s reminiscent of the hard blues from the nearly 30 year old La Consumption/Atlantic City sessions, other places it’s got that weird Return Visit… shimmering.

It’s nearly a continuation of Faux Depart, only not. Both were recorded stateside at Dub Narcotic (this is the album he was recording when I made the trek to Portland to see a live set back in June. edit: there was a small rant here, but I removed it at the last second in the name of civility). Where Faux Depart rocked with wild abandon L’Autre Cap swoons with adolescent naivety.

How Long Will You Forget Me? (yeah, he’ singing through a drum…)
Dove (you’ll probably want full volume for this…)
Moving Without Ark (this one nearly made me cry the first time I heard it…)

(my friend Esther (the saw virtuoso of the Rocky Mountain region) plays some amazing saw and flute on here; listen carefully to how especially amazing that sawing is on How Long Will You Forget Me?)