Album Notes

The debut album from the instrumental/progressive rock band, Tanuki, combines an angular wackiness with serious, contemplative tracks. Drawing influences from such diverse elements as surf rock, Japanese traditional music and bebop jazz, the group brings a unique approach to instrumental rock.

The album opens with the title track, one the group calls "a relatively accessible funky tune" and then quickly changes direction for the erratic, dramatic, and quirky "Pitchforks & Torches." The soundscape "Ages" provides a brief respite before launching into the dynamic Far Eastern-flavored "Macaque Attaque." The brooding and powerful "Jenin" -a tribute to a friend wounded doing humanitarian work overseas - provides a serious center to the album. The group then takes another abrupt turn with a humorous blending of straight-ahead jazz and electronica on the fast-paced "Uncanny Valley." The dark ambient textures of "30:1" serve as a prelude to the epic "Lost Chapter," a tune that has proven to be a fan favorite at live performances. The album closes with the rollicking surf-inspired "Monster Peninsula," ending the listener's journey with waves of feedback and "alien noises."

Tanuki is: Charles Byrnes (drums), Chris Frain (bass, synthesizer), and C. Ray Himes (guitar).