Zach Hill - Astrological Straits Review
Posted by James Palm on 08.15.2008
Acclaimed drummer Zach Hill of math rock legends Hella steps out of the shadows of his several high profile collaborators to unleash his debut solo LP. Prepare yourselves for the craziest cosmic journey of the year thus far.
Some time ago, the drummers of the world bandied together for a secret meeting. They decided enough was enough; they were tired of being the butt of so many musicians jokes, and so it was time to take the power back. The last few years have seen some rather prolific drummers hijack the math rock genre and turn it into a haven for their kind. One duo-turned-quintet who stood out – and at the time of writing should still be standing – over the last decade were Hella, initially the noisy baby of guitarist Spencer Seim and drummer Zach Hill, who have expanded their line-up in recent times. Hill especially became renowned for his unbelievable skills, leading to several high profile collaborations outside of the band, including roles backing Mike Patton, harpist Joanna Newsom and the Mars Volta’s Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. The time now has come for Hill to be the architect of an entire solo LP.
To be fair, this task is not foreign to Hill; for Hella’s 2005 double disc LP Church Gone Wild/Chirpin’ Hard, Seim and Hill split up the producing duties Outkast-style; one side each. This time around, though, the focus is the drums and the monster behind them. Let’s set things straight; Zach Hill is amazing. If you see a listing in your local rag for a Zach Hill performance, go. I am envious of anyone who either has or will see this man live. After all, given the intense bass drum lines, it is astonishing to learn that he uses only a single pedal, and seeing an epic like “Uhuru” created in front of my eyes would be a sight to behold. Said track is Hill’s only slip of self-indulgence; a near 9 minute drum solo bordered by alien effects resembling whipping a steel fence and guitars that attempt to keep up with the cracking pace Hill sets.
Accusing a drummer like Hill of self-indulgence is a redundant exercise though, as his insane rhythms provide the real crux of Astrological Straits. He flies in several directions on hypnotic opener “Iambic Strays”, daring you to follow. Extra instruments soon arrive, and Hill accommodates their arrival with blitzkrieg signature skips. On “Keep Calm and Carry On”, Hill taunts us, starting out with a relatively simple 4/4 beat, before morphing it into a frenzied assault on your inner metronome. He even manages to show Lars Ulrich how it’s done on “Hindsight Is Nowhere”, utilising a tight steel snare that doesn’t end up sounding like a Pepsi can underwater, a la St. Anger. The track itself outranks that album in its entirety. At first the drums build the mood under a serene choir before building to a warped disco breakdown, closing out with lazer like synth effects.
At this point, Hill’s abundant talent on the drums is more than the just the elephant in the corner of the room – he IS the room. But it is not the exponential rhythms that make Astrological Straits a superb album. They are merely the tool Hill utilises to journey across untapped boundaries. Much like Animal Collective member Noah Lennox, aka Panda Bear, almost outshining his band mates by releasing his distinctive solo album last year to widespread acclaim, Hill steps out from the shadow of Hella and the numerous projects he has lent his furious hands to with a collection of songs that are his alone. Hill destroys then eats any unwanted drummer stereotypes and proves himself a master composer, as well as a powerful vocalist.
Throughout all of the epic drumming previously mentioned/harped on, for every song there is fantastic accompaniment. “Toll Road” drags you back in after the frenetic opener; electric organs and classic chords driving a psychedelic bop with near religious overtones – Hill strips the elements back for a discerning aside of ”That’s a crazy bush/that’s a crazy bush”. “Dark Art” starts in Krautrock territory before the keys give way to thunderous bass and guitars giving a nod to Jimmy Page. Hill even has the tenacity to use his producers’ kids for vocals for “Ummer” and debut a new genre; cyber-funk. Though brief, this ditty hits you in a one-two punch with “Stoic Logic”, continuing the cosmic groove. “Tick On” leads with a sax before the funk goes crazy, the bass line matching the speed of Hill.
The simple fact is that the album is littered with great tracks, none grander than the closing title track. Astrological Straits has to also be recognised as a sum of all parts. Hill did amass a mighty fleet for his first solo venture. Collaborators include some of music’s finest nerds; Primus’ Les Claypool, visionary guitarist Marnie Stern, Deftones/Team Sleep’ Chino Moreno, No Age’s Randy Randall and Dean Spunt, !!!/LCD Soundsystem’s Tyler Pope, The Flying Luttenbachers' Jonathon Hicshke, Satori/RX Bandits’ Steve Borth, the Advantage’s Robbie Moncrief, and Hill’s Hella bandmates Carson McWhirter and Josh Hill. Zach referred to these kindred spirits as those he felt most comfortable playing with. In that case, I would like for Zach Hill to keep this line-up.
The Hit - Toll Road/Stoic Logic The Encore - Dark Art/Astrological Straits The Wah? - Nadda.
The 411: I have noticed the large amount of namedropping in this review, but it serves as a reminder of the people Hill has worked with, and how highly regarded a musician he is. Here, he has proven himself to be an equal. Astrological Straits is astounding. Those hesitant of the math rock movement will find what they need within this technological opus to jump ship.
