What is so very impressive about the music on this album is how they've approached their interpretations. Instead of trying to recreate faithful replicas of the songs, which would have been ridiculous, they have opted to offer modern interpretations using the instruments at their disposal; guitar, bass, drum kit and of course vocals.
If you were expecting something light and fluffy, like you would find clogging the arteries of music everywhere, then you've come to the wrong disc. Denison, John Stanier(drums) and vocalist Mike Patton have put together an album of material that attempts to reflect the core feelings of the source music, not accurately recreate them. Songs like "Ghost Dance" (which must have been the actual Ghost Dance judging by the time period of the source material) for instance aims to try and capture the essence of the original song's spirit and the emotions behind it.
Each song is approached in the same manner and defeats any expectations any of us may have had about Native Music. Loud guitars and hard rock arrangements of a couple of the songs take a moment to get used to. But once you understand the intent and figure out what the band is doing with a song, it all makes sense.
At no time did any of the arrangements sound anything but respectful of the material they were working with, and they're a damn site better than another collection of insipid Native Flute songs. In fact, not since Robbie Robertson put together the Red Road Ensemble back in the early 1990's to record a soundtrack for the television special The Native Americans have I heard popular music used so effectively to represent Native music.
Anonymous by Tomahawk is a surprise in many ways, but the best surprise is the CD it self. It may not be to everyone's taste, but I thought it one of the best representations of Native music to have come down the pipe in a long time, if for nothing else than the real emotion displayed by the songs and by the performers.
Tomahawk understands the difference between honouring and appropriating another's culture and that shines through on this disc with every cut. I hope people pay attention to this album for a lot of reasons, but at the very least to learn from the fine example Tomahawk sets by the way they deal with another culture.
Article comments
1 - kloten
Good review. Great album. Loved the first two albums too, but "Anonymous" is definitely the most original and inspired piece of work Tomahawk has made so far. Let's hope it won't take another 4 years to see what they cook up next.
2 - Firstname Lastname
Excellent Review. This is their best easily. Best record since 'Suspended Animation' hehehe...
3 - Goodbye Tomahawk
Give me one reason not to throw this album in the trash can, fuckety fuck T_T
4 - MaryAnna "Chubby"
You've given a great review of this CD, so much so that I'll likely step out of my CD comfort zone and look for a copy!
5 - flesh
this album could have been something fantastic. but iv listened to it twice now and im sick of it...and im especially sick of mike patons gimmicky singing style. actually, the album would have been a lot beter if patton wasnt in it. he ruins the whole feel of this record and all he does is follow the guitars notes with stupid noises... the only song he was good in was war song. the rest just sounds like a native indian fantomas. fuck off already. this album is a let down and it further proves that patton is lost in his own pretencious and pointless world.
6 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Great Review...
I do understand what your saying about the Native American Mall Jazz that has inflected a great wound to many of us music nerds. Musicians that are pioneering & brilliant(Michael Manring,Michael Hedges,Will Ackerman,George Winston) get this label attached to them because alot of uneducated people don't know what they are listening to.
Wether you like this CD or not,Tomahawk is treading new water. It hasn't become my "favorite" CD by them but I do appreciate the fact that they are pressing forward with an original & creative force. I hope alot of bands use this mentality when they are releasing albums in their perspective genres.
7 - Spirit cast
The album was a shot in the dark for me. I am though impressed to hear shadows and shades from the Great past.....