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Tortoise
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Tortoise’s almost entirely instrumental music defies easy categorization, and the group gained significant attention from their early career. The members have roots in Chicago’s fertile music scene, playing in various indie rock and punk groups. Tortoise was among the first American indie rock bands to incorporate styles closer to krautrock, dub, minimalism, electronica and various jazz styles, rather than the standard rock and roll and punk that had dominated indie rock for years.
Some have cited Tortoise as being one of the prime forces behind the development and popularity of the so-called “post-rock” movement. Others, however, have criticized Tortoise’s music as being derivative of progressive rock and argue that Tortoise have been subject to much undeserved hype for such a relatively new ensemble.
Other groups related to Tortoise include The Sea and Cake, Brokeback, Shrimp Boat, Isotope 217 and the Chicago Underground Duo. Tortoise records on the Thrill Jockey label.
The group’s origins lie in the late 1980’s pairing of McCombs and Herndon, who imagined themselves as a freelance rhythm section (like reggae legends Sly And Robbie). That idea never saw fruition (but in the summer of 2007 they formed the group Bumps and released a record with the same name on indie hip-hop label Stones Throw records, their interest in grooving rhythms and recording studio trickery led to McEntire and Brown (both formerly of Bastro) joining, followed by Bitney.
Some have cited Tortoise as being one of the prime forces behind the development and popularity of the so-called “post-rock” movement. Others, however, have criticized Tortoise’s music as being derivative of progressive rock and argue that Tortoise have been subject to much undeserved hype for such a relatively new ensemble.
Other groups related to Tortoise include The Sea and Cake, Brokeback, Shrimp Boat, Isotope 217 and the Chicago Underground Duo. Tortoise records on the Thrill Jockey label.
The group’s origins lie in the late 1980’s pairing of McCombs and Herndon, who imagined themselves as a freelance rhythm section (like reggae legends Sly And Robbie). That idea never saw fruition (but in the summer of 2007 they formed the group Bumps and released a record with the same name on indie hip-hop label Stones Throw records, their interest in grooving rhythms and recording studio trickery led to McEntire and Brown (both formerly of Bastro) joining, followed by Bitney.
Top Albums
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TNT
Tortoise
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Beacons Of Ancestorship
Tortoise Buy- Download Album
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Millions Now Living Will Never Die
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Standards
Tortoise Buy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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Pursuit wrote:
oh snaps I didn't even know Tortoise released a new album this year, need to get on that shit!
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cholaq wrote:
MONICA
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the10fingers wrote:
im taking my hat off to these gentlemen!
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apropriadamente wrote:
TORTOISE = GOD! <3
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Aesthete24 wrote:
enjoying Beacons on my second listen
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Nestroit wrote:
no way, Tortoise are kewl. "prepare your coffin" is actually the definition of coolness.
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sexybabe2001 wrote:
music for old people
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Flashstep wrote:
Tortoise is awesome and so is Beacons. <3
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musicus_firenze wrote:
Tortoise LIVE 26 novembre 2009 @ Firenze (Italy). INFO: http://www.musicusconcentus.com
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artisuseless wrote:
French review of "Beacons of Ancestorship" on Metalorgie: http://www.metalorgie.com/metal/groupes.php?id=2807
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Nestroit wrote:
Wherz Black Jack?
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mukeys wrote:
fuck yes, it is all about monica
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harajukudude wrote:
why is monica not in this list eh!!!
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FedericoPinneri wrote:
Gonna see them live here, in Rome (maybe)
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dimakes wrote:
Gigantes mesmo.
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mecha51 wrote:
Great band. Been playing Beacons non-stop all day.
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MuzikMonster wrote:
They are so fundamentally sound instrumentally it's crazy. Just awesome, awesome music. http://www.ranker.com/list/alltime-best-bands-from-illinois/clark-benson
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widebluesky wrote:
Just quality.
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laurenha_m wrote:
<3
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polymorphous71 wrote:
Polite music.
Videos
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Events
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Nov
18
Tortoise
Barcelona Jazz Festival, Barcelona, Spain
2 shouts
| 86 attendees
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Nov
19
Tortoise
Kulturfabrik, L-4221 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Add shout
| 4 attendees
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Nov
20
Tortoise
STUK, Leuven, Belgium
Add shout
| 46 attendees
Listeners
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Kadhja
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alcie
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to Monument Six One Thousand -
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oschtia
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coelacanths
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Recent Activity
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WilWonka, paulaordonhes, GenghisCharm and 1 other person added Tortoise to their libraries. 25 minutes ago
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alexwijns tagged Tortoise with ‘post-rock’. 4 hours ago
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Long-String, D_en_L, MeLLowDyous and 2 other people added Tortoise to their libraries. 5 hours ago
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drthatguy tagged Tortoise with ‘jazzy’. 13 hours ago
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xkanushkax, finavenko, AdamPellinDeeve and 1 other person added Tortoise to their libraries. 14 hours ago
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bskogtr tagged Tortoise with experimental, instrumental and post-rock. yesterday afternoon
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kibbenheide tagged Tortoise with ‘video’. yesterday morning
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syksy108, freakout1007, Soifee and 1 other person added Tortoise to their libraries. yesterday morning
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kwa_nqingetje tagged Tortoise with ‘post-rock’. Friday evening
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Bostaph tagged Tortoise with instrumental and post-rock. Friday evening
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