Reviews:
Reviews on "eco, arches & eras".
scroll down for reviews on our debut "for the middle class". We are still receiving reviews for that one, too (January 2009!).
Unfamiliar with some of these languagues? Copy and past the text into www.freetranslation.com. You'll be able to understand most of it, and you'll pick up some funny new words too…
soundslike (BE)
«Het maakt van Huntsville een uitzonderlijke luisterervaring.» read more here
Uncut (UK)
«Elegant improvised ambience.»
Musique Machine
Album of the Month
«I could write on and on about this truly wonderful album – but I think it would ruin and cheapen the experience of it for yourself. Just trust me if you enjoy musical adventure & genre mixing that’s controlled/polished yet always daring and creative you have to pick this up. One of the must own albums of this year.» read more here
The WIRE (UK)
«There's rarely been such effective use of the South Asian drums in a crossover context since John McLaughlin's Shakti – though 'crossover' is too limiting a description for this substantial and challenging release.»
Organ Magazine (UK)
«…this is beautifully unpretentious and feels so naturally right. This is from nowhere, this is from everywhere… this is wonderful, this is different….»
plan b
«…it builds like a runaway train of thoughts and possibillities before breaking through barriers into a world of new and rapturous potential.»
Subjectivisten (NE)
«Verrassend, imponerend, bloedstollend, intrigerend, niet te beschrijven, niet te definiëren, avontuurlijk, het zijn maar een paar termen die van toepassing zijn op deze grootse opvolger.»
("Surprising, impressing, blood-curdling, intriguing, impossible to
describe, impossible to define, adventurous, are only a few terms that
apply to this great successor.") read more here
Bad Alchemy (DE)
«Das gebetsmühlenartig pulsierende Knattern oder Federn von Zachs Drumming und das Tocken seiner Shrutibox, Grydelands Gitarrenriffing, Kluftens gestrichener Basso continuo, der immer wieder zwischen den Zähnen ein ”Ich diene nicht” ausstösst, gehen dabei wieder abseits von Indienfahrerklischees ans Werk und öffnen dennoch die Schädeldecke mit unermüdlichem Brainstorming. Pluspunkte sind allein schon das tolle Coverdesign von Kim Hiorthøy, aber zudem auch noch der melancholische Sprechgesang von Sidsel Endresen als Auftakt des Monstertracks ’Eco’….»
Experimusic.com (UK)
«…theirs is a sound that is truly unique.» read more here
Svenska Dagblad (SE)
«Med ny dubbel-cd skruvar den norska trion Huntsville upp intensiteten i sin originella americana-raga-groove.» read more here
mapsadaisical (UK)
«As probably the best thing I’ve heard so far this year on Rune Grammofon, Eco Eras and Arches will undoubtedly meet your great expectations. Big fun to be had here.» read more here
Tokafi (UK)
«“Eco, Arches & Eras” delves even further into an adventurous crossbreed between Drones, Country, Jazz and electroacoustic Improvisation.» read more here
Aftenposten (NO)
«Eco, Arches & Eras tydeliggjør sider og trekk fra Huntvilles tidligere liv, og det kan oppfattes som en frigjøringsprosess. Trioen har et nytt språk på gang, og det vil garantert forstås langt utenfor vårt lands grenser.» read more here
Furoreiharare.com (NO)
«Knitrende god skive som ikke gir deg svar på noen spørsmål, men som heller burde få deg til å stille dem.!» read more here
Kulturo (NO)
«…musikk som har sin egenart i behold. Vel blåst!» read more here
Dagsavisen (NO)
«…lyden av grus, gress, muld, natur som kneler, bygninger som reises og reiser som tilbakelegges, men uten å bli naturpornografisk på noe vis. Til det er heldigvis gruppas uforutsigbarhet og tverrhet for framtredende. Hele albumet byr for øvrig på en drivende blanding av krautrock, frijazz og køntri, og gjennom sjangerlekenheten beviser Huntsville at de vil være musikalsk bærekraftige i lang tid framover.» Read more here
Aftenposten (NO)
«…De kombinerer akustiske gitarakkorder med tørr bass og skarpskåren elektronikk. Eller de bygger en rytme og tar med banjo i bevegelsene. Perkusjonen gir løft og karakter til stykkene, og elgitaren drømmer om rock.»
Dagbladet (NO)
«Countryens plass i dette elektroniske, knitrete og frie landskapet er mer abstrakt enn konkret; en følelse, en luftspeiling, en sval bris som seiler gjennom Huntsville-lyden og skaper dens tiltalende egenart.» Read more here
Side2 (NO)
«Dette er det andre CD-møtet med det sjangerfrie og uhyre originale bandet Huntsville. Nå kan de være på vei mot verdensherredømme.» Read more here
Ballade (NO)
«…får meg til å slå opp øynene, åpne munnen, heve etter pusten og nikke anerkjennende med hodet.» Read more here
Reviews on "for the middle class" – released in 2006.
Adverse Effect
«Pretty incredible long-player…» read more here
monochrom (AT)
«All the while the music flows and grooves like some living organism, with the plucked notes from the bass bouncing, the drums steadily going their way and various kinds of noise blazing away everything that might come in the way of our happy little trail. It is as easy to join as to come aboard the peace train.» Read more here
It's a trap!
«Without a doubt, though, Huntsville take you on a wild, often psychedelic ride, making every overlapping sound matter. This is a major release in the realm of Nordic soundscape music.» Read more here
All About Jazz
«Norwegian trio Huntsville isn't a traditional country band, or a traditional anything else for that matter.» Read more here
Sefronia
«"For the middle class" se transforme alors, par intermittence, en magnifique album de noisy folk, hallucinatoire et énigmatique.» Read more here
Coke Machine Glow
«I heard this album right after we submitted our lists for the year-end, but this would have almost certainly been in my top ten.(…)Huntsville are a wonderful new edition to the experimental ranks of jazz and electronics, both in their seasoned instrumentation and the obvious joy they take in created music with character, soul, and humor, as well as a lot of broken middle class dreams.» Read more of this very well written review here
Rock City
«The middle classes referenced would doubtless scratch their heads in bewildered indifference and carry on with nondescript exsistences. For the most part that would be their loss.»
BBC
«…involving, evocative music that's genuinely emotionally engaging aswell as pressing all the right buttons for those on the lookout for newsonic thrills. Beautiful.»
All About Jazz – December, 2006
«Each musician has developed such an idiosyncratic language and analmost telepathic interaction with each other that the musical outcomeblurs any conventional concept of listening, yet the music sounds verynatural and organic and surprisingly quite harmonic.
(…) For The Middle Classesis the most accessible recording from these creativemusicians—surprising, sometimes funny, sometimes irritating, alwaysoffering tons of provocative revelations, and very convincing. One ofmy top ten releases of 2006.» read more here
Boston Weekly – December, 2006
«A Norwegian improv trio armed with a banjo, a double bass, a pedalsteel, a bizarre tabla machine, shruti boxes and a fondness for freeingfolk from its folk songs—from Santa Fe to Bombay. (…) If the futureis too much to bear come New Year’s Day, lodge yourself in the presentwith a 50-minute stay in Huntsville.» read more here
Gonzo – December 2006
«Huntsville spookt op intrigerende wijze door tal van stijlen en doet dat met een subtiel oor voor finesse, experiment en eigenzinnigheid.» «Hypnotisered its de enige juiste omschrijving.» « Ivar Grydeland, Tonny Kluften en Ingar Zach slagen erin dit onwaarschijnlijke geheel bijzonder meeslepend neer te zetten om zo van ”For the Middle Class” een spanned stukje experimentele muziek te maken.»
Other Music
«Epic, hellmouthed buildups that never quite break, organ grindermonkeys given bionic arms and legs and left to wonder why, obtusedrone, and the foresight to assemble all of these disparate elementsinto one compelling package are what's at stake here, Huntsvilleproviding a dead serious, dreamlike, at times blisteringly impatientstab at the advancement of the avant-garde trio. Hypnotic andreassuring.»
Indiepoprock.net
«Expérimentant de nouvelles formules, de nouveaux assemblages, lestrois membres de Huntsville proposent un premier album dépaysant, sortede folk atmosphérique mutant où les espaces de libertés sont nombreux,y compris pour y laisser courir notre imagination dans une relativequiétude… A découvrir !» read more here
De:Bug – 108, 12/06
«Grossartige Platte!» read more here
De:Bug – 108, 12/06 – (the second review in the same magazine)
«Huntsville sind die Köninge des Rhythmus!» read more here
Jazznytt – 06:2006
«(…) but it sounds good. And new. Nobody has made such music before.»
The London Milk Man – December 14, 2006
«While it is pretty obvious from the two substantial improvisationshere that Huntsville can work from each other and build on theirrespective strength very well, For The Middle Class is a surprisinglyaccessible and melodic collection. The band experiment with variousmusic forms in very effective and convincing fashion, making this albumyet another flawless addition to the Rune Grammofon catalogue.» Readmore here.
Almost cool music reviews – December 14, 2006
«(…)definitely make me want to keep an ear out for Huntsville.» Read more here.
Nordische Musiek – December 10, 2006
«Jazz oder Elektronik? Das Trio Huntsville will sich da wohl nicht sorecht entscheiden. In dem Fall ist aber gar nichts dagegen einzuwenden,denn die vier Stücke »für die Mittelklasse« gewinnen durch diesesWabern zwischen den Stilen. Und der Hörer irrt mit: Ist die Perkussionperfekt gespielt oder digital geloopt? Ist das ein Bass oder eineBassmaschine? Gitarre oder Synthesizer? Handgemacht odermaschinengefertigt lässt sich hier nicht mehr trennen.Dabei klingt derAnfang noch wie reine Experimental-Elektronik: Nach über drei Minutenschält sich ein Beatmuster heraus, nach acht Minuten schillert derKlang dann hinüber ins Instrumentale. Die Highspeed-Rhythmus-Schleifender 20-Minuten-Tracks peitschen ordentlich voran; dahinter klimpert,raschelt und zupft es improvisatorisch, plötzlich mit Hawaii-Gitarreoder einem Walking Bass, der die nervöse Trommel-Lokomotive auf einmalgrooven lässt. Einfache Musik ist das nicht. Man könnte sie sogaranstrengend nennen, diese ausgestelle Nervosität und Auflösung allerJazz-Strukturen – wenn sie nicht gleichzeitig so unverschämt lässigwäre.»
Trust – 12/06
«Drei impro-erfahrene Norweger entdecken ihre Liebe für Country,Elektronikk, Drones und Folk. Dabei bevorzugen sie immer nochexpansivere Formen, bringen gerade mal vier Stücke auf diesem Albumunter, die sich langsam zu voller Pracht entfalten, verleugnen auch dieLiebe für freien Jazz nicht. Was indes bisweilen bei freier Musik denEinstieg verwehrt – immenser Krach, Kakophonie oder im Gegenteilannäherndes Nichts– sucht man hier vergebens. Ein oberflächlichbetrachtet sanfter Fluss, in dem sich auch mal eine Steelguitar findenlässt, delikate Pickings, filigrane Polyrhythmik. Das erinnert manchmalan die freieren Momente von Gastr del Sol, aber auch an JimO’Rourke’sche Folk-Exkursionen.»
Terz – December, 2006
«Als ob's in der Luft läge: dieses norwegische Trio verbindetFolk-Fingerpicking / Countryvibes mit elektronischen undImprov-Kontexten, wobei der freigeistige Aspekt noch mehr überwiegt alsbei Alexander Tucker. Gerade mal vier Stücke hat's hier, die aberhaben's in sich: langsam entwickeln und öffnen sich Strukturen, diemehr auf Stimmung und Serielles setzen als auf ständigeRe-Territorialisierung. Hochspannende perkussive Polyrhythmik und neueKlangquellen – großartig!»
Dagsavisen – October 10, 2006
«"For the Middle Class" is an album that immediately appeals andchallenges the listener with new revelations on repeated listenings. Intheir search to find unexplored territories they haven’t just made arecord for the middle class, but for everybody.» (5/6) read it here (Norwegian only)
Groove – November 28, 06
«The music is similar to the film music of the Boxhead ensemble,Ornette Colemans polyrhytmical works, Canadian post-rock and earlySupersilent – but most of all it's strikingly original and different»Click here to read it (Norwegian only)
De Subjektivisten – November 18, 2006
«From their own world and with their own sound they embraceSupersilent, Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore, Beirut, Tape, Tim Hecker, InThe Country and John Cage» Click here to read it
Alternative Nation – November 10, 2006
«Freie Geister entwerfen einen mitreißenden Rhythmenorganismus und dieHüfte folgt: One World Under The Influence Of Its Complex Grooves,Dancing To The Rhythm Of Our Hearts – um die Quintessenz von For TheMiddle Class in einer der Weltsprachen auszudrücken.» Click here to read more
Dagbladet – October 18, 2006
«(…) a feast of sound with a steady beat and soft harmonies. (..) akind of electronica- country (…). The interaction of many, oftenunorthodoxily played instruments, in addition to some electronicalboxes, varies in density, and gives therefore the necassary dynamic toa very original and attractive interplay.»
Bad Alchemy – November, 2006
«Diese Überraschung gelingt! Was immer ich von den drei Herren ausNorwegen erwarten würde, die HUNTSVILLE bilden, For The Middle Class(RCD2058) wär’s nicht.»
Aftenposten – October 16, 2006
«Det er en sann fornøyelse å høre hvordan Ivar Grydeland, Ingar Zach ogTonny Kluften utfordrer seg selv. (…) Ja, Huntsville frigjør seg,uten å fornekte røttene og opptrer med smidig muskuløsitet. Alle bidrager rettet inn mot fellesskapet. "For The Middle Class" er tuftet påspilleglede og skarp retningssans. Det er denne typen utgivelser somfornyer troen på det uforutsigbare i musikken.» (5/6) read more here (Norwegian only)
HISSIG – October 06, 2006
«So, by all means, give this a chance, For the Middle Class is undoubtably one of the finest albums of 2006» read it here (Norwegian only)
Side 2 – October 17, 2006
« «For the Middle Class» er tøff og annerledes musikk som kommeroverraskende fra Grydeland/Kluften/Zach – nå også kjent somHuntsville.» read more here (Norwegian only)
The WIRE # 274, Philip Clark – December issue, 2006
«If a title like For The Middle Class sounds like a provocation, thenHuntsville's mélange of floating grooves, Indian tabla rhythms andAmbient guitar might play directly into the hands of dilettantes notreally interested in the message of improvised music. Tonny Kluften(bass), Ivar Grydeland (guitars) and Ingar Zach (drums, percussion,tabla) are familiar from their work in Improv ensemble No SpaghettiEdition and as founders of the Sofa label; as such it's slightlydisconcerting to witness this latest direction.» Read more here
Universitas – October 11, 2006
«Huntsville må nok sette seg ned og stille spørsmålet om vissestilarter rett og slett ikke kan blandes, eller at de kan det, men daav noen helt andre.» read the rest of this good, but bad review here (Norwegian only)