I wrote the review for “Bear Claw” by Tofu Delux two months ago, and left it collecting dust waiting for the new Cozy Home site to arrive. But before we even got back online, these guys went and did it again with “Fancy Nap”. Out of respect for the band and the fact that “The Right Song” is on the new compilation, I couldn’t put up a review for “Bear Claw” without at least a mention of the new EP. So here are both reviews in chronological order. Enjoy. -Monty
Tofu Delux
“Bear Claw”
2008 Cozy Home Records
Tofu Delux is a young band. But you’d never be able to tell how young by listening to their music. The first time I saw them play live, I was an instant fan. All so very confident and proficient behind their instruments, they played psychedelic rock like three guys that had lived through it all, from the Elevators to the deepest depths of prog pretense. I admit I am prone to hyperbole, but I truly feel that that show renewed my hope for the future of psychedelic music. And none of them had even graduated from high school at that point. Since then, Tofu has released three EPs and a full length album, all of which are packed with shoegaze synth, dense, harmonic vocal layers, and melancholic, yet optimistic lyrics.
Their full length offering, “Bear Claw”, has the continuity of a well executed concept album. Each song blends into the next so seamlessly that I had to keep checking the screen on my computer to figure out which track I was on. The songs are similar, but not the same, giving the entire album the feel of a 13-part suite. Upon first listen, I found myself thinking back to my youthful days spent smoking too much reefer and watching MTV’s “Amp” for the trippy visuals and occasionally psychedelic electronic music. The opening track, “Air Beneath The Ocean” starts with a dreamy synth, paving the way for churning, stereophonic drum loops that become increasingly erratic before coming to a soft and safe landing into the next track, “Winter Murmansk/Noon”. The track “Spin Spin Extend (Demon Talk Reprise)” introduces a character on the verge of drastic change. The lyric “It seems like lately, we don’t know anyone at all/everyone is busy being somebody all day long,” seems to describe the planting of the seed of cynicism in a fertile young mind. And that’s only the first three tracks.
We are taken by the hand and lead through dense and textural musical terrain throughout the album. Spastic synthesized percussion mixed above droning loops and heavily reverberated vocals combine to call to mind a peaceful winter landscape before ominous keyboards and a straight-up machine beat slap you in the face to remind you of the “Evil That Is In Man’s Heart.” Wistful strings flirt with sinister sounding pitch-shifted vocals to help us take comfort in the fact that it is indeed a “Strange World”. The closing track is an unpredictable mix of synthesized and organic sound showcasing Tofu’s ability to draw a listener in with free form experimentation.
All in all, a true mood setter. More appropriate to listen to through headphones while feeling stoned and/or introspective than on the way to the club, “Bear Claw” is sure to please those who listen to music for more than background noise to fill the awkward silence between conversation. Quite to the contrary, this album is a lyrical and sonic conversation piece in and of itself.
Monty Leuthausen
April 2008
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Tofu Delux
“Fancy Nap EP”
2008 Cozy Home Records
We find ourselves where we left off, though winter has given way to spring and summer is more than just a fantasy. We are pondering the meaning of visions and the spaces between each other in the collective unconsciousness. Animal Collective influence is worn on their sleeves for “The Right Song”, but influences remain no more than that. Hold a mirror up to this band, and you still see Xeno, Jake and Zach. More ambient and free at points, they seem to have gotten a little (dare I say???) avant-minded with songs like “Plains of White”. Conversely, “Know What” almost has a conventional hook, though you’d have to take your head out of the song and listen closely to catch it. No less abruptly does said hook arrive, however, than drop out completely to make way for another. A perfect album for an early June morning after watching the sun rise through an insomniac haze. Don’t let your summer go by without giving “Fancy Nap” a listen.
Monty Leuthausen
June 2008
Both albums are free in the DOWNLOADS section.
Check the previous entry (link below) to read about more news and new downloads.
