It is to be understood that this is not a comfy record, this is not a record to enjoy with a glass of wine and a cushioned chair, this record does not come with a safety net.
Calling Whitetails To A Tuned Bow is an experimental blend of free-jazz, noise and metal and really does at points test the listeners capabilities to sustain attention. San Diego’s own Those Darn Gnomes really do have an improvisational style especially in the use of percussion and brass instrumentation, seeping energy from the avant-garde utilising home-made instruments and incorporating algorithms borrowed from mould cultivation.
One of the tracks in which you are able to hear most of the richness in their sound from the pure abrasive free jazz and metal elements to the idler vocal moments is ‘A Cliff In our Garden’, a track that at points take a rest from the intensity of the first two tracks and really shows a skill and maturity in knowing when give and when to take in terms of their sound. If Stanley Kubrick had ever had the chance to remake The Wizard of Oz, this is what it would sound like!
This is ‘Those Darn Gnomes’ third studio effort so hopefully they’re going to be doing this for a while to come. As free-jazz and the avant-garde have almost become the directions bands are now experimenting with in 2019 (even in small doses) we’ll be hearing more music similar to this both live and on record to mass appeal.
Calling White Tails To A Tuned Bow is released 28th June and can be purchased here.
Words: Tom Kirby
