Giant Flying Turtles: Waltz To The World
Giant Flying Turtles
Waltz to the World
(Menagerie)
High poppy âwho who whoâs,â heavy guitar riffing, a hard hitting snare, and then floating bass on top with chorus harmonies and a plinky piano, this wonderfully eclectic mix begins the Giant Flying Turtles new album, Waltz To The World.
These Brooklyn indie music makers mine jazz, prog rock, folk and bluegrass, and they seem to be, dare I say, experts in all these genres.
Calvin Bennettâs bass popping under Johnny Youngâs piano plunks on the jazzy âStay Out Lateâ swings into a controlled chorus. Then we are into the kinetic prog-like running on my personal favorite, âOne of a Kind.â Young as well as guitarist TJ Jordan wail their asses off on this tune, but the harmony Yes-like vocals on the chorus are the icing on the cake for an old prog head like me.
Things get torch-song ballad-y on âRiver Runs Dry,â another perfect little gem that mines full pop territory. The guys get things jumpinâ and jiving like Joe Jackson on âThree Shades of Blue,â and Youngâs piano is again featured on the later ballad, âHold the Flagâ (a seeming anti-war song) along with Bennettâs cello.
âBanjoâ is a honky-tonk silliness jam. Drummer Jim Toscano, who is as hard hitting as he is subtle throughout, throws down hard and blistering here, and thereâs a slow and serious organ/electric guitar bending mix under the harmonies. A cross between Steely Dan and modern-era Pink Floyd, if you can believe it.
There really is a lot to like about the Giant Flying Turtles Waltz To The World.