Editor�s Info:
Clogs are a sister band to The National featuring Padma Newsome on strings and Bryce Dessner on guitar. Their fourth album is their finest and most varied effort to date as the group augments their unique sonic palette (acoustic guitar, strings, percussion, bassoon) with melodica, ukulele, and mandola - and Dessner goes electric! Especially recommended if you enjoy fellow travelers like Rachel's, The Books, Bell Orchestre, or even Moondog, Erik Satie, and 16th-century lute player Johann Hieronymus Kapsburger.
PRESS
Pitchforkmedia.com
When trying to describe Clogs' music to other folks, it might be better to forgo any genre distinctions and head straight for the thesaurus so you can find fresh and exciting ways to say 'sublime.'
Uncut by Chris Roberts
Clogs, who cluster around guitarist Bryce Dessner and violinist/multi-instrumentalist Padma Newsome, would resent being referred to as The National's artier spin-off project. Having met at Yale School of Music in the late '90s, they predate our Alligator favourites, and have released three previous albums of experimentation and minimalism. Simplistic reference points for their mesmerising use of repetition and polyphony would be Moondog or The Penguin Cafe Orchestra. But the "contemporary classical" tag doesn't do justice to their cinematic, intense instrumental narratives: like Mogwai's, they tend to build to within an inch of breaking point. Rating: 4/5
PopMatters.com (Internet) by Dave Heaton
Clogs don't seem to be aiming at one particular audience--neither the indie "post-rock" fans or the more "sophisticated" classical fans. They seem like an outfit with their own personality, doing as they please. That of course, is always a format for artistic success when you're dealing with musicians as talented as the members of Clogs. By being themselves and avoiding easy categorization, they take list....... more
Editor�s Info:
Clogs are a sister band to The National featuring Padma Newsome on strings and Bryce Dessner on guitar. Their fourth album is their finest and most varied effort to date as the group augments their unique sonic palette (acoustic guitar, strings, percussion, bassoon) with melodica, ukulele, and mandola - and Dessner goes electric! Especially recommended if you enjoy fellow travelers like Rachel's, The Books, Bell Orchestre, or even Moondog, Erik Satie, and 16th-century lute player Johann Hieronymus Kapsburger.
PRESS
Pitchforkmedia.com
When trying to describe Clogs' music to other folks, it might be better to forgo any genre distinctions and head straight for the thesaurus so you can find fresh and exciting ways to say 'sublime.'
Uncut by Chris Roberts
Clogs, who cluster around guitarist Bryce Dessner and violinist/multi-instrumentalist Padma Newsome, would resent being referred to as The National's artier spin-off project. Having met at Yale School of Music in the late '90s, they predate our Alligator favourites, and have released three previous albums of experimentation and minimalism. Simplistic reference points for their mesmerising use of repetition and polyphony would be Moondog or The Penguin Cafe Orchestra. But the "contemporary classical" tag doesn't do justice to their cinematic, intense instrumental narratives: like Mogwai's, they tend to build to within an inch of breaking point. Rating: 4/5
PopMatters.com (Internet) by Dave Heaton
Clogs don't seem to be aiming at one particular audience--neither the indie "post-rock" fans or the more "sophisticated" classical fans. They seem like an outfit with their own personality, doing as they please. That of course, is always a format for artistic success when you're dealing with musicians as talented as the members of Clogs. By being themselves and avoiding easy categorization, they take list....... more