More suited for soundtracking the movements of shadowy silhouettes than rocking ass at a club, Gentlemen Losers paint a vivid picture for their listeners with scant brushstrokes. Swirled into multicolor motion by Kuukka brothers Samu and Ville, this self-titled debut carries the suffering of a thousand years on its shoulders. HA! Gotcha ... yes, this is dramatic music, but it is just music.
And it's just enjoyable, from the first underground sludge beat to the last submerged piano line. The Kuukka brothers, like the best film scores and newspaper paginators, use white space to their advantage, surrounding barren soundscapes with an invisible ring of free-floating nothingness. Most compellingly, they don't recycle the same digi-beats over and over, letting the tempo and mood dictate which rhythms to employ, if any. A beautiful example of the brothers' arranging prowess pops up on "Horses of Instruction." You may assume that only a murky drum shuffle could blow the rippled reams of guitar and synth in the right direction. Won't you be surprised, then, when the track flows and curdles without the aid of a rhythm and still holds your attention!? Then, like a sign from above, "Laureline" enters the party and hits it right away, plugging your ears with a slo-mo beat and sensuous slide guitar.
Unbeknownst to many, an instrumental revolution is at hand, burgeoning in the minds, hands, and fingers of upstart groups like Spaghetti Western, Grace Cathedral Park, Billy Brush, and, of course, The Gentlemen Losers. They might not hook you with post-rockian bombast, but their form of seduction is far less obvious and far more subconscious, crawling into the brain and sitting quietly, attentively, rather than clubbing you over the head with dynamics. It may take longer to sink into your skull, but once it's there, it's not a spill, it's a stain.
1. Empire of Coins
2. Gold Dust Afternoon
3. Mansion on the Dunes
4. Slow Guitars
5. Horses of Instruction
6. Laureline
7. Silver Mountain
8. Light Fandango
9. Salt of the Sea
10. Weed Garden
More about: The Gentlemen Losers
