So we are alive: Tartufi MP3s

I already knew Tartufi could deliver the goods in person. That was not in question. But some bands can falter from stage to studio, sacrificing some of that visceral firepower that make their live performances so vital. Not this band, not here. Tartufi’s latest, Us Upon Buildings Upon Us, is just as unpredictable and thrilling as their live set, veering across tempos, time signatures and moods like a battering ram, instigating the ear to try to keep up. With so much music surrendering to verse-chorus-verse convention, Tartufi is an ideal antidote to the boring and staid. And dismiss that other concern that they might have lost some power, downsizing from threesome to duo. Singer-guitarist Lynne Angel remains an undeniable presence, with her impassioned banshee lilt. Her looping vocals soar over the push-and-pull tension between noise and song. Drummer Brian Gorman is equally indispensable, bashing out the tricky, complex rhythms that serve as the engine of the music. Put together, they deliver some pretty epic and grand and unexpected results, which was exactly what I was hoping for. Of course, now that my concerns have been assuaged, that doesn’t mean I won’t keep catching them in person. Your next opportunity: Bottom of the Hill, November 30th. * MP3: "If We Had Daggers They Would Fly" - Tartufi from Us Upon Buildings Upon Us * MP3: "Until The Ocean Swallows Stars" - Tartufi from Us Upon Buildings Upon Us [Buy it] * Band Website: Tartufi Tags: Tartufi, San Francisco, Us Upon Buildings Upon Us, MP3