by: Ben Parra (@BBBBBBBENNNNNNN)
Tundrastomper was a really good band that I don’t think anyone really knew quite how to describe. A quartet consisting of Andrew (Candy Andy), Skyler (Lrrr), Max (Maxshh) and Sam (Crimson Blue), their technical virtuosity and tendency towards unconventional arrangements often netted them the “prog” or “math rock” designations, though their work was far too loose, and frankly too impish, for its inclusion in those somewhat-stodgy genres to really make sense. This was a group of childhood friends who, even by the time of their earliest releases, had spent countless hours jamming together. Ultimately, I think the project of the band was to reconcile the jubilant sprawl of really thrilling group improvisation with the get-to-the-point songwriting ethos of punk acts like the Minutemen (a band that was foundational to the group’s musical development). So there you have it, I figured it out: Tundrastomper was the world’s first and only not-annoying jam band.
The band has since split, and in the intervening years we’ve gotten at least one solo release from each member, making it easier to parse the different personalities each member brought to the table. Each release is quite unique, but the thing they all have in common is their playfulness, something that was already apparent to any fan of Tundrastomper’s work. The music presented on Neither-Handed, the latest split from Sam and Max, arrives bursting with that same sensibility.
If you’ve been to enough DIY shows in the Northeast in the last decade-ish, you’ve likely witnessed Max’s considerable talent on the drums in groups such as Fred Cracklin, Stice, Deathless Forever, and most recently Meltykiss, or maybe seen his guitar/bass+pedal wizardry in bands like This New Basement and Rong. It’s thrilling watching him perform, and one leaves the show wondering how it’s possible to play so eloquently while also playing so fast. But in spite of all the chops, I actually think Max’s greatest strength is his ability to digest musical ideas, and to incorporate the ones he likes into his own creative practice. He’s a great listener, with a strong ear for melody and a keen sense for what might make a given part more exciting.
Max is also an incorrigible goofball, liable to (per his own admission!) “use his powers for evil”. So what follows is a set of tracks that both rip extremely hard and gleefully take the piss. “Portends Hype” and “8x Minimum” are classic examples of Maxshh-gaze, a genre that I think he invented: deep-fried shoegaze guitars (but with more licks), chunky vocal harmonies, and very fast drums.“Same Bit” is a Giant Steps-inspired, well, bit, that few could pull off. Meanwhile “36to51” features lush guitar and keyboards that serve as the soundtrack to the mathematician Andrew Wiles reflecting on the successful conclusion of his years-long battle to prove Fermat’s Last Theorem: “I loved every minute of it, however hard it had been". The juxtaposition of referential musical humor and an earnest ode to personal struggle and “embracing the process” across these two tracks is a perfect encapsulation of Max as an artist. Then there’s a beautiful rendition of the Minutemen’s “#1 Hit Song (speak of the devil). “Quintessence Reboot” is the statement piece of Max’s side, a thicket of lush vocal harmonies and blown-out drums, capped off by multiple keyboard solos. Taken together, it’s a collection of playful, self-referential, and exuberant heaters.
There isn’t really anything like Crimson Blue. Sam is maybe the most imaginative artist I know, someone who so nonchalantly possesses such a strong creative voice. He’s very funny, and observant, and one thing I think he does especially well in Crimson Blue is point out all the nonsense inherent in the mundane exercises of life. He has a very limber style on the guitar, and when he sings it is often meandering, sort of like he’s thinking out loud. The result is music that is extremely silly but also quite poignant.
The Crimson side of things opens with the hilarious “Cozo Bozo”, an ode to doing nothing, in your house, alone, that ends on an actually quite beautiful piano solo. “Folok” and “Keep on Talking” feel like the most classic Crimson Blue tracks on the split: flowy acoustic guitar accompanied by vocals that are equal parts wistful and goofy. “This Is Now, This Is Right Now” evokes Calling Out of Context-era Arthur Russell while also channeling a certain kind of (very relatable) resignation. Meanwhile, “Zeitgeist Moved On” again evokes the Minutemen (think tracks like “Toadies” and “Retreat”, right in the middle of Double Nickels on the Dime), with Max locked in on drums under Sam’s rambling vocals and sinister saxophone.
Max and Sam are lifelong friends and collaborators and two of the most inspired musicians I’ve ever come across, united by a sense of humor and a buoyant spirit that are impossible to miss on this latest release. Happy listening!
Sam has made a few videos for his end of things:
The video for “Folok” is here, with animation from Wishbone Zoe.