Tomahawk

Anonymous

[3/5]

At worst, it seems like the pinnacle of cultural carpetbagging; at best, a colossally bad idea: An all-white avant-rock band featuring ex-members of the Jesus Lizard (guitarist Duane Dennison), Helmet (drummer John Stanier, also of Battles) and Faith No More (vocalist Mike Patton, also of about 200 other projects/bands) appropriate a bunch of anonymously written, public-domain Native American music and make a concept album. But somehow, the dudes pull it off. And though fans might be surprised at its near-total lack of heaviness, Anonymous might actually be Tomahawk’s finest release to date. At times bizarre and otherworldly, at times staccato and sample-ridden, these interpretations make one wonder what the original tunes sound like, if only because there’s no way they sound quite like this. Of course, some of the Native elements seem obvious (most of the basic melodies, Patton’s syllabic chanting, Stanier’s more, uh, tribal patterns), but it’s tough to say, because Anonymous is, for the most part, distinctly and unambiguously modern. (IPECAC) J. Bennett