Directly channeling the ghosts of Naked City, the Holy Modal Rounders and Husker Du, Krakatoa delivers a masterpiece of indie prog that could play equally well in the pits of Mordor or at the gates of your local Barnes and Noble’s “What’s New in Classical” department. Under the production of Bradford Reed (King Missile, inventor of the Pencilina), the group delivers a startling summation of the ideas explored in two earlier albums; and with laptops and processing, they also take off into uncharted territory.
We Are the Rowboats is the third LP from Krakatoa, a Brooklyn-based 4-piece that applies piano and violin and an occasionally augmented string core to the traditional rock line-up. By upping the amperage on their long-underused electric guitar, Krakatoa have actually enhanced the use of their more unusual instruments. And consolidating tracks into 4-minute pieces has done a lot for the impact of Krakatoa’s music. Stand-out tracks from the past, like Plan Ahead’s “Driving by Candelabrum,” could carry the weight of nine minutes of grafting and tempo changes. But this dynamic cut was something of an exception, as the ambition of the music often outweighed the achievement. Previous albums are laced with successful passages, but only on Rowboats do the group’s daring experiments seem consistently effortless. Invisibility is the cornerstone to this album’s artfulness.
An example of abbreviated perfection is “Hot Water,” the pallet cleansing electronic deep breath that launches the new LP. It's one full minute of dense, playful electronics bent, midway, into a dark, almost-dub passage and then codified by thumping drums and bass, into a neatly abrupt finish. All this in a minute and change, and Krakatoa have announced to returning fans that something new has arrived. “Hot Water” is unlike anything Krakatoa has put on record before, and it works as an opening salvo and mission statement. Bringing a new bag of tricks, and delivering many of them in under four minutes, Krakatoa have put away the long song and replaced it with the thick song.
Newer influences creep in on subsequent tracks. “Albatross to Betatron” evokes large band/ large suit era Talking Heads, energy music with ideas, or whatever David Byrne once said. The meandering artfulness of Canterbury matches the rapid drive of Minneapolis in “Spiral Dive” and “Telegraph,” two new tracks that explore territory familiar to Krakatoa listeners of yore. "Telegraph” lingers over a lovely piano and violin outro that finishes the song with hushed grace.
Krakatoa still defy categories and demand great patience from its audience. The screwball sing-along of “Snoopy with Mohawk” evolves into a long chiming coda that equally evokes surf and reggae and new wave pop. “Orange Whistle” maneuvers from a beatific, flute-led first movement into a minute of blistering violin-laced thrash. But these segues and moodswings are ultimately their own reward on this record, because the rock tightens, the pastoral Americana swells, and the wild humor is warm and giving.
Krakatoa’s largely instrumental compositions, their ranging atmospheres and their electronic interludes may lead some listeners to think that this is soundtrack music to a lost film. But having listened to We Are the Rowboats, the groups’ masterstroke to date, I’m convinced that this album is actually the film itself.
1. Hot Water
2. Spiral Drive
3. Telegraph
4. Snoopy With Mohawk
5. Cat's Eye
6. You Deflect Happiness
7. Albatross to Betatron
8. Naked Congress
9. Sabre Dance
10. Orange Whistle
11. Philadelcula
12. Covered Bridges
13. Rotor Blade
14. Accelerations
15. Space Conqueror
16. Numbskull
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