Traveling

Noise/post-rock instrumentals from the South and the Midwest—four different bands: Brian Grainger, German Shepherd, Millipede, and Moth. Some tracks are really atmospheric/ noise-like (Brian Grainger), others more closely related to post-rock (German Shepherd), and some just a lot of sounds and distortion and whatnot (The Millipedes, Moth). Recommended tracks: 3, 8. Unless you are on a variety of substances and/or it is 4 AM and/or you need to go get some CDs, go to the bathroom, have a cigarette, etc., in which case you should play track 10. No FCCs.
Reviewed by Klayr.

1. Atmospheric, echoing, highly distorted, but also oddly soothing—sounds like the music they play at aquarium exhibits of jellyfish. Swelling, oscillating, oceanic. [7:12]
2. Still a lot of echoes, but this piece is darker, more ominous. Like a swirling wash of sound. Track slowly fades out over the final two minutes or so, then gets intense again at the very end. [8:22]
3. Meditative guitar piece with mild distortion. Kind of a call and response effect between two guitars/refrains, with more strumming at the end. [4:41]
4. Much slower track than previous one, with a lot of reverb/noise and less discernable guitar playing. Slow fadeout in last minute and a half. [7:33]
5. Spare guitar playing with distortion in the background. Very distant quality, with much looping. Ends with repetition of opening loop three times. [4:14]
6. A lot of strange sounds going on: much banging of metal objects and what sounds like a robot dinosaur’s cry. No discernable melody/beat/musical normalcy but many interesting sounds… [4:04]
7. Layer and layers of very distorted, possibly grating guitar. Like a seascape of noise, with a constant piling up of distorted waves upon the shore of your ears. That was a simile. Increasingly intense in last minute and a half (as if a storm is brewing), then fadeout. [3:49]
8. Buzzing in beginning/background sounds like an amp farting. Then a bunch of cymbals come in like rain. It’s an electric storm! Here comes the feedbacklightning!! Ends suddenly. [3:05]
9. Melancholy noise track with haunting piano melody in background throughout. Distortion explosion/breakdown in the middle, then an on and off assault on the ears/senses starting at around a minute from the end. Finishes surprisingly calmly, considering. [3:44]
10. Strange series of musical events in this track… I think it’s a bunch of pieces put together. Anyway, dude saying a prayer in the beginning, then crazy distortion attack at around 50 seconds. Distorted vocals for a second. Goes into pretty straight-laced guitar/vox song for around two minutes. A sparing electric guitar melody for a bit. Then distant-sounding interview about some place called St. John. Then a rock song with cheesy percussion and a toy-like aesthetic for a few minutes. Alt-country tune with distorted, rough Daniel Johnston-esque vocals. Finishes with hyper-distorted guitar track that sounds 3D, like it’s fuzzy, and rubbing against your eardrums. Seriously. [14:07]