Splendid E-zine by M. Pollesel

Monday, October 08th, 2001

Excerpt: beautiful, rich and textured... a good reminder that music is an art, capable of conveying complex emotions and ideas without the need for words.

Tundra Survey / Cracked Radiator, Bum Transmission / Self-released (CD)

This observation really has nothing to do with the rest of the album, but it seems relevant to mention: the first time you hear voices on this album, six minutes into the first track, it sounds like the faint stirrings of excited elves — sort of like when the munchkins are first introduced in The Wizard of Oz. The rest of the album is a somber, fairly low-key affair, devoid of similar moments of unexpected eccentricity. Happy-go-lucky would definitely not be on a list of words describing Tundra Survey’s sound; beautiful, rich and textured, however, would be. With cello, viola, bass, flute and xylophone playing more prominent roles than guitar, Tundra Survey often sounds more like a chamber group than a rock band — but this is hardly a bad thing. Songs like “Leaning Over Fault Lines” and “Flooded Hours” are a good reminder that music is an art, capable of conveying complex emotions and ideas without the need for words. This is music to expand your mind. Even thinking about elves is a good start. — mp