Huntsville: For the Middle Class
The chugging rhythm of the train is a staple of country music, the rolling four-count evoking the promises of opportunity and escape across vast open lands. Traditionally that rhythm is portrayed by an acoustic guitar or brushes on a snare drum, not tablas and much less mechanized ones. But Norwegian trio Huntsville isn't a traditional country band, or a traditional anything else for that matter. It does, however, cite country music, along with John Cage, Morton Feldman and drone music, among its influences, and Ivar Grydeland's banjo and steel guitar make the Americana hard to miss. Tonny Kluften's slow, steady upright bass is most often the foundation for the four long pieces on For the Middle Class, Huntsville's debut album, while Ingar Zach's fast percussionoften comprised of modified and motorized Indian instrumentspropels them.
Thrown together, these elements don't really add up to country music. But it is as close to that as anythingsomething like Bill Frisell's recent work, but pumped up and layered thick. The thick fog is not a surpriseall three have worked with the improv group No Spaghetti Edition, and Grydeland and Zach are founders of the Sofa labelbut when it clears, the countryside is unexpected.
Thrown together, these elements don't really add up to country music. But it is as close to that as anythingsomething like Bill Frisell's recent work, but pumped up and layered thick. The thick fog is not a surpriseall three have worked with the improv group No Spaghetti Edition, and Grydeland and Zach are founders of the Sofa labelbut when it clears, the countryside is unexpected.
Track Listing
The Appearance of a Wise Child; Serious Like a Pope; Add a Key of Humanity; Melon.
Personnel
Iver Grydeland: acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, pedal steel guitar, radio, electronics, organ and voice; Tony Kluften: bass, rhythm machine and glockenspiel; Ingar Zach: percussion, tabla machine, sarangi box and shruti box.
Album information
Title: For the Middle Class | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Rune Grammofon