That Fucking Tank - Tanknolgy
Exuberant, that’s the only word I can think of after slipping the new album from That Fucking Tank in to the CD player. So much of post rock these days is so po-faced but not these boys. The album has a massive streak of mischief running all the way through it and they go at it with a massive amount of energy and huge grins. This is music with such vibrant life it’s impossible not to smile whilst listening to it.
It is also very, very clever. Alongside And So I Watch You From Afar’s eponymous debut album, ‘Tanknology’ is some of the smartest music I’ve heard all year. The tunes evolve, mutate and entertain in equal measures. There’s so much in the mix it’s almost impossible to classify, there’s heavy rock, math rock, prog, techno and even a kind of mutant disco in evidence, sometimes all crammed in to a few blistering minutes of one track.
The band’s playfulness is reflected in the song titles, ‘Dave Grolsch’, ‘Evan Dido’ and ‘Bruce Springstonehenge’ are just a few examples, the latter even featuring a pastiche / tribute to the Boss in the shape of a heavily mutated ‘Dancing In The Dark’ segment, genius!
Considering half of the album is self recorded in small rehearsal spaces and bedrooms, the production standards are exceptionally high. The sound is full, dense and intense giving the tunes a real depth and excitement. ‘Ludwig II Of Bavaria’ is case in point, it’s sound is so huge it nearly blew my car speakers but at no point is the mix muddy, every part is out there for your listening pleasure.
If I had to pull out one track to serve up as a highlight of this amazing album, I’d have to give you the closing track ‘Stephen Hawkwind’, an eight minute prog / metal / techno epic that takes the breath away as it writhes and snakes from its devastating opening to its awe inspiring end, absolutely storming.
This is one of those albums that is too multifaceted to adequately describe on the flat page, all I can say is hunt this record down and listen to it yourself, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.
It’s a monster.
Top Tracks: 'Stephen Hawkwind', ‘Bruce Springstonehenge’.
Released July 06 on Gringo