CD Reviews

Zach Hill

Astrological Straits | Ipecac

By MICHAEL PATRICK BRADY | August 12, 2008

3.5 Stars

Zach Hill has built a reputation as a frenetic drummer, propelling his band Hella through tightly wound squalls of noise and jagged melodies with great force. On his first solo release, he indulges in an unrestrained torrent of challenging yet tuneful rock. With Hella moving toward more conventional songs on their most recent release, Astrological Straits is an outlet for Hill to blurt out all of his maddeningly abstract ideas and hammer them into shape. It isn’t an extended drum solo: Hill transforms his kit into a lead instrument and exercises virtuosic control. He drapes his concussive playing with shards of filthy, distorted guitars, infectiously sing-songy vocals, and guest appearances from luminaries like Primus’s Les Claypool and !!!’s Tyler Pope. “Keep Calm and Carry On” reels wildly, throwing sparks and spinning out of control like a malfunctioning carousel. Even on tracks where Hill does stand alone, like “Uhuru,” he sounds fresh, in command, and he avoids falling into the trap of repeating himself ad nauseam. Although some may find the noisy rambunctiousness and jarring bursts offputting, Hill imbues Straits with an irresistible playfulness, and his talents as a drummer (and a frontman) will leave listeners dumbstruck.

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Topics: CD Reviews , Zach Hill , Zach Hill , Les Claypool

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