The name might not be that familiar but this is is a bit of a supergroup as Transmissionary Six are a duo consisting of Terri Moeller (who is in The Walkabouts) and Paul Austin (member from Willard Grant Conspiracy) and it's produced by Tucker Martin who has had worked with artists like Beck! It might not be a hyped record but this spooky folk is made for anyone who wants to dive a bit deeper as it's lo-fi indiefolk in the tradition of Dean Wareham, Red House Painters or Elliot Smith. The music itself is a sort of minimalistic melancholic country (16 Horsepower) and the vocals are like those from someone who is at the end of it all, just hear a track like "Short Wave Goodbye" and not one Hollywood-movie can bring you closer to tears. As bonus it comes in a wonderful limited sleeve. "Transmissionary Six" haven't made the best record of the year, that'd be a lie but it is one of the albums you need, everybody needs warmth.
DIDIER BECU, BELGIUM
Transmissionary Six is Paul Austin of The Willard Grant Conspiracy on stringed instruments and various keys, and The Walkabouts' Terri Moeller on vocals and percussion. Following their lovely release on the CD-R label Hinah, they have signed on to Film Guerrero for the follow-up, carrying on the hushed Americana of their debut but in a more considered and, ultimately, a more satisfying manner.
Lynchian atmospherics run through the album, but at the heart lies subdued and endearing, gentle folk melodies. The sweet "Rodeo Satellite" is somewhat reminiscent of Mazzy Star, while the naive strum of "My Paper Party Hat" has the feel of Ween meeting Red House Painters. Elsewhere, the pair moves effortlessly through Lennon-y psychedelia, angular slo-core, free-flowing folk and melancholic country, akin to Proper-Sheppard's Sophia and label mates Norfolk & Western. A multifaceted and intensely personal release from Austin and Moeller, and one worth spending some of your precious time alone with. A quiet victory.
INK 19, Stein Hauklan
This is really nice. Laid back acoustic guitar and so-laid-back-they're-horizontal vocals make great tunes that can create a great atmosphere. The integration of looped samples and/or synthesisers and piano really puts the listener in a position where mood can really be appreciated. Some of this stuff could so easily be put into a film soundtrack. At points the twanging of telecasters reminds me of the Twin Peaks movies or at least the feel of open roads and the southern states of the US aswell as the mix of recorded dialogue which brings Godspeed You Black Emperor! minus the gloom
FRACTURE UK
Waltzing, whispering... Transmissionary Six have woven a stunning silk of gently purple-blue, lightly melancholy stuff with acoustic guitars, organs and a taste for what sits quietly and thoughtfully alone in the early shadows. Like a softer Cowboy Junkies, Terri Moeller, and Paul Austin confide with the gentle voices of a lover revealing his soul for its first indelible impressions. "My Paper Party Hat" is an outstanding minor key accomplishment, sounding like early Neil Young touched by The Jayhawks. This must be the stuff wings are made of.
Lollipop
With a style that harks back to a '50s rock slow waltz in the vein of Duane Eddy or the Shadows, this album begins with a pretty instrumental called "Short Wave Hello." It's also the album's closer, allowing for a sense of completion. Lead singer Terri Moeller has a very soft delivery on "Rodeo Satellite" that brings to mind the Cash Brothers, but with a loop-like percussion to it. Most of the arrangements on the album are somber, dark, and dreary, resembling outtakes from the Twin Peaks soundtrack. Culminating in French, the track ends on a rather odd and bizarre note. "Clay Man Down," one of the most accessible and pop-friendly songs of the ten, is a slow roots pop tune in the vein of the Jayhawks or a polished Neil Young. Another pretty but morose song is "Mothball." Complete with some Beatles-era backwards effects, Paul Austin's piano carries the number most of the way. What works for the group is the full-band sound, despite being a duo, albeit a very multi-talented one. Songs are not fully developed in some instances, notably "Marooned," which fades as soon as the listener gets into the rhythm. "My Paper Party Hat" is a folk-oriented track with a terrific percussive stomp to it in the chorus. "Everything is coming up rose colored glasses/Even the blind man likes the view," is a wry couplet that shows some of Transmissionary Six's stronger lyrical skills. "Submarine" has an underlining tension to it similar to the Smashing Pumpkins. It's an interesting effort that would go well between Wilco and the Cash Brothers.
Jason MacNeil, AMG
It’s been said before but it’s worth saying again - Portland label Film Guerrero are adept at enticing packaging that could make you buy a whole CD worth of thrash metal on an impulse just because it looked so nice on the shelf (and nothing wrong with thrash metal, moshers and kin...) The new album by Transmissionary Six is no exception, but happily the material within’s there to match the shiny wrapping in quality and rank. Recorded entirely in analogue, it’s the kind of CD you’d love to own on vinyl, as every pit of the CD oozes out class. The opening instrumental “Short Wave Hello” has an instant calming affect on whatever you were doing five minutes before putting the record on, and “Rodeo Satellite” then begins the main thrust of the album - an almost trance level of weightless vocals and acoustic resolve, perfect for both big open spaces on hazy summer days and inviting darkly lit low ceilinged rooms in the middle of winter. Tracks like “Mothball” and “My Paper Party Hat” could be compared to Flaming Lips or Mercury Rev, but they’re simple beyond their scope - even as a musician, it’s not something you feel you could ever recreate yourself with as much success. At 30 minutes in length, it’s quality and not quantity that’s the key word here. Still, if words describing the record sound over-vague, well, maybe it’s one of those occasions where you really do need to just listen yourself. An essential buy.
AMERICANA UK
Transmissionary Six est un duo de Seattle formé par Paul Austin (guitare, piano, banjo), membre démissionnaire de Willard Grant Conspiracy et Terri Moeller (chant, batterie, orgue) qui à côté de ça est batteuse des Walkabouts. Ce premier album a été enregistré avec l'aide de Tucker Martine (aka Mount Analog http://www.matamore.net/annexes/chr_mount.htm). Marianne Dissard et Naim Amor (http://www.matamore.net/annexes/chr_amor.htm) apparaissent également sur un des titres.
A vrai dire, la perspective d'une collaboration entre musiciens des Walkabouts et Willard Grant Conspiracy ne constituait pas pour moi le summum de l'excitation sensorielle. Car ces deux groupes, même s'ils ne me sont pas déplaisants, n'ont jamais vraiment squatté mon lecteur de disques.
L'écoute de Transmissionary Six a ainsi largement dépassé mes attentes et si l'on reconnaît une certaine filiation folk acoustique discréte, c'est aussi du côté de Galaxie 500, de Mazzy Star, American Musc Club, Eels, Yo La Tengo ou des Red House Painters, que le duo est allé tirer quelques ficelles.
On ne peut pour autant pas parler de slowcore, mais plutôt d'une sorte de folk américain néo-country à l'instrumentation trés subtile. Une demi-heure, trente minutes de lignes droite, comme descendre une autoroute du Nord vers le Sud. Un disque à premiére vue monotone, mais qui prend toutes ses épaisseurs et ses nuances au fil des écoutes et mérite une écoute attentive.
Des climats apaisants, atmosphériques, pour lumiéres tamisées, pour le lent défilement des heures et des nuages, le trajet du soleil d'Est en Ouest. Percussions et voix entrent parfaitement dans le moule des chansons, accentuant l'impression de moelleux et de confort mélancolique général. Un album climatique à l'émotion retenue et sensible.
L'instrumental 'Shortwave Hello' pose le ton d'entrée, doux et contemplatif. Même si pas incontournable il a l'intérêt de placer l'ambiance et le rythme ralenti du disque.
Bien plus de raisons de s'enthousiasmer pour 'Rodeo Satellite', pas tellement pour le chant assez neutre de Terri Moeller, mais plutôt pour le soundscape caché derriére la voix et la guitare, fait d'une boucle rythmique lointaine et étouffée et de sons d'orgue planants.
'Clay Man Down' joue une carte plus folk country traditionaliste, plus en rapport avec les origines personnelles des musiciens même si une certaine retenue distingue le morceau. On préfére quand l'accident est au rendez-vous, comme ce son de guitare inversée sur 'Mothball', peut-être la touche de Tucker Martine? En tout cas, ça fonctionne à plein régime et décuple l'intérêt de Transmissionary Six.
La voix de Terri gagne enfin en nuances avec 'Marooned', un morceau un peu plus rapide, plus rustique que les autres, à la mélodie sinueuse comme un ruisseau au c?ur d'une vallée boisée. L'instrumental 'Hollis And Applegate' qui prend le relais semble s'être échappé des heures les plus tordues de Twin Peaks, la country song catchy 'My Paper Party Hat' a par contre un petit côté Manu Chao tandis que le court 'Dog Eared' semble s'être échappé de la discographie d'American Music Club.
On baigne en plein slowcore avec 'Dog Eared', une guitare qui aurait pu être jouée par Mark Koselek et une voix fiévreuse. Superbe, repeat jusqu'à ce qu'un édredon de mélancolie nous recouvre entiérement.
Passe alors un petit 'Submarine' vite envoyé et ce premier album de Transmissionary Six se termine avec 'Short Wavegoodbye', sorte de redite de la plage d'ouverture.
Ce premier album de Transmissionary Six est relativement court, toutes les compositions ne sont pas abouties ou totalement équilibrées mais il y a quelques perles et surtout une chaleur d'ambiance. Il y a quelque chose qui passe de tangible. On ne perd pas le temps investi ici. Un nouveau groupe porteur qui n'a strictement rien à envier aux formations dont il est issu.
MATAMORE- Belgium, Didier
 | 
» Normal Records
» Return to Sender
» QDK Media
» Shadoks Music
» Soundtracks
» Bollywood
|
