All-instrumental locals Chef Menteur remind me of what the Flaming Lips or
Radiohead would sound like if they silenced their plaintive lead singers,
finally doing away with any pop preconceptions. It is tough to recommend a
separate
track on
We Await Silent Tristero’s Empire, as the entire CD works as
a singular performance. Chef Menteur’s brand of extended prog-rock jams
will likely garner comparisons to Pink Floyd and King Crimson, but even those
legendary bands’ albums famous for their lengthy excesses can’t
hold a candle to the monolith that is
We Await Silent Tristero’s Empire.
Sure, half of the CD’s tracks are under five minutes, but they could
be spliced together as longer pieces, as they tend to run into and complement
each other. Of course, this says nothing about the music itself, which is at
turns breathtaking, ominous, and downright harrowing. Most of it sounds like
the score to an odd indie sci-fi film, especially the foreboding “Caverns
of the White Widow” and “W.A.S.T.E.,” the best track and
the only thing resembling a dance number here. Its alternation between sunshine-drenched
acoustic guitars and minimalist, computerized beats sound like one of Brian
Wilson’s nightmares. Some of the longer numbers, though, could have been
either shortened or changed up to prevent monotony. This is especially true
of the 17-minute closer “Io,” which mostly sounds like a symphony
orchestra tuning up. Nevertheless, for the most part, this empire is one
worth waiting for.
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The Louisiana Music Collective
Authentic New Orleans and Louisiana roots music resources.
