Alexander Tucker “His Arm Has Grown Long” free MP3
aaamusic | On 28, Feb 2011
Thrill Jockey are pleased to offer you a free MP3 from the forthcoming album Dorwytch by British experimental folk musician Alexander Tucker. The track “His Arm Has Grown Long” combines minimalist string arrangements with electronic manipulations and drones to produce atmospheric doom chamber pop.
http://www.thrilljockey.com/assets/freedownload/Alexander_Tucker-His_Arm_has_Grown_Long.mp3
Tucker’s sound has developed over the years since his first self-titled solo album, which featured acoustic finger-picking, experimental electronics and was released on Jackie O Motherfucker’s U-Sound Archives label. He went on to combine compositional song structures, drones, layered vocals and improvisations on his 2005 album Old Fog released on ATP Recordings. This collection of spectral moods, eerie landscapes and fragile emotions was followed by Furrowed Brow (2006) and Portal (2008), where the songs and melodies became more pronounced, whilst infecting the tracks with underlying drone currents, traditional finger-picking, doom riffs and David Crosby inspired harmonies.
Three years in the making DORWYTCH finds Tucker refining his song craft and introducing minimalist string movements that build into dense spiraling riffs around his distinct vocals. With varied sounds and grandiose ideas, the album marries the abstract with more traditional song structures, using layering techniques to create the illusion of an ensemble. This album is the first time Tucker has used drums, collaborating with free improv drummer Paul May to create rhythmic improvised beats. Other guests include brooding blues songwriter Duke Garwood (Fire Records), singer-songwriter Jess Bryant and multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Daniel O’Sullivan (Guapo, Aethanor, Miracles, Ulver).
The album’s themes run the gamut from abstract tales of the everyday, to the supernatural, to other-worldly experiences. Influenced heavily by the work of Alan Moore, songs such as “Matter” reference this directly with themes of metaphysical human/plant matter transcendence inspired by the comic Swamp Thing. Tucker is also fascinated by strange creatures conjured up in tracks such as “Half Vast” where he loops synth pulses to create blissed sonic atmospheres where organic spaceships give birth to plasmatic babies. Or pieces like “Skelator Blues” with chiming guitars and haunted vocals giving birth to skeletal beings who stalk the earth. There are some more mundane themes at work in songs such as “Mildew Stars” (the only one with traditional tunings) about childhood coastal holidays and his dad’s collections of musty old books, prints and found precious things.
In addition to being a solo artist Tucker continues to collaborate with Daniel Beban in their tape loop project IMBOGODOM (also on Thrill Jockey). Other bands include GRUMBLING FUR with members of Guapo and Circle. Past collaborative projects include duets with Stephen O’Malley on his Ginnungagap side project. Tucker is also a visual artist, creating artwork for all of his album covers and side projects, including ongoing paintings drawings, and comic artwork.
DORWYTCH is a beautiful collection of songs, which show Alexander Tucker at the height of his creative talents. He is capable of creating immense sounds on such a grand scale that it is astounding to realize that it is (mostly) all the work of just one man. This album will beguile and entice the listener, placing Tucker at the forefront of the experimental pop landscape.
Live Dates:
10th March, Komedia, 44-47 Gardner St. Brighton 7:30 £5/4 w/ Raime and Ekoplekz
24th March, Borderline, Orange Yard, Off Manette Street, 7pm London, £8 (w/ Arbouretum)
12th April, Madame JO JO London w/ The Oscillation (playing as Alexander Tucker presents IMBOGODOM)
15th April, ICA London (Playing as Alexander Tucker and Decomposed Orchestra) w/ Amal Gamal Ensemble and Raagnargrok Allstars
