TarwaterSpider Smile
Morr, 2007
Years ago, during a brief "bulking up" period, I regularly went to the gym to work out. I would trundle down to the YMCA and set up on a cross-training machine, which is essentially a Stairmaster-type of device that also works your arms (hence, "cross-training"). I'd put on the discman, punch in my weight, height and age, and try to get my heart-rate up to 180 bpm for 20-30 minutes. Getting the heart-rate up was never a problem, not dying in the process sometimes was.
Even though I was in a major city and living in a scenester part of town, I was surprised that I was the only indierock type of guy in the gym. All around me were brawny, waxy guys in spindly tank tops on weight benches, and packs of women with nine-pack abs looking at each other with pure hate across the constantly occupied running machines. I am certain I was the only person in the gym listening to the type of music that could really only strengthen your chin-scratching muscles.
Case in point, my favourite "workout" album at the time was Tarwater's Silur. Following the now-familiar Tarwater formula of strangely translated English vocals, sing-spoken over fractured digital percussion and half-realized guitar lines, the album was one of the few that could engage me enough to distract me from the burning in my lungs, legs, and tingling in most of my left side. While cross-training my flab away I wanted to announce aloud with the singer:
"I like,Now back with their tenth release (2nd full-length album on the formidable Morr Music label), Tarwater present Spider Smile - probably their strongest release since 2000's Animals, Suns & Atoms. Given how popular the electronic-indierock hybrid has become, either in bands such as Postal Service and Rogue Wave, or in European post-rock such as the Notwist, Lali Puna or Ms John Soda, I am always surprised by how little attention Tarwater receive. The German duo is more known for one member's involvement in To Roccoco Rot than their own output, particularly here in North America, despite Tarwater's consistency and unique voice.
To yell,
When it's snowing."
Spider Smile is a specifically post-9/11 album, capturing some of the anxiety and resignation that society now feels, and setting these themes against hooky but damaged synth lines. The songs are propelled forward by snapping cuts and clicks, and everything is held together by sparse arrangements, an austere aesthetic and the usually forgotten sounds from guitar and bass (for instance, the streaking sound between notes, knocking on an instrument's body, or electrical hum all sometimes feature more prominently than traditionally played notes). Spider Smile is infectious and another engaging release from one of Europe's most consistent and consistently overlooked post-rock bands.
Spider Smile is available via the Morr Music website.
