Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Ich liebe Tortoise, bin aber diesem Album sonst eher zwiespältig gegenüber eingestellt gewesen; mag am mittlerweile besser verstandenem Monster Opener „Djed“ liegen, das etwas unfertig, abstrakt, strukturell technoid wirkt. Da wirkt einstige Schwäche plötzlich als starke Besonderheit schlechthin, folgen doch dann Stücke, die der klareren Postrock Struktur folgen, für die ich damals eine stärkere Neigung hatte. Die Balance ist vorhanden, wechseln die Tracks zwischen diesen Polen immer wieder ab und doch liegt mir das folgende Album TNT ein klein wenig mehr am Herzen. 3.8
Meine Güte, das hatte ich ja völlig vergessen, wie konnte das denn passieren? Fühlt sich an wie eine Wiederentdeckung, und zwar vom selben Format wie die Eno-Platte. Wenn ich der 5 Punkte gegeben habe (was ich jetzt gerade nicht mehr tun würde), dann müsste ich das hier auch, weil sie mich genau am selben Nerv erwischt. Krautig, treibend, fordernd, ständig absichtlich verrätselt und natürlich super artsy. Und intellektuelle Rätsel sind ja immer soo schmeichelhaft! Hab aber trotzdem jetzt keine Lust auf volle Punktzahl (wie eben auch bei Eno nicht mehr), weil: ich bin zu erschöpft und zu urlaubsreif und wünsche mir, dass die nächste Platte entweder von Oasis ist, oder was zum richtig glücklichen Abwatschen. 3,6
Had some cool beats, liked the experimental nature of this album.
Really interesting instrumentals!
Well that was refreshingly good! Still not sure what post-rock is supposed to mean, but I guess I like it.
This was really good. Kinda psychadelic. 4.5
I have a soft spot for these types of prog rock albums.
Pretty chill, early indie rock/jam band feel, no vocals
Haven’t had an instrumental album in a bit. It was alright, nothing special. 3/5 ⭐️ 258/1089
I only listened to this once, and I feel like I might give it four stars with repeat listens. Really enjoyed hearing the deconstruction, the twists and turns of Djed were an adventure. Other parts felt a little lacking. Glass Museum is the standout here for me, not often I get to say that they have a hell of a vibraphonist
It was fine nothing super exciting.
Very good record. 3,5
I enjoyed the modern jazz instrumental nature of MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE. Too many times, something like this is ruined by a terrible voice. In my opinion the first rack was the worst of the whole album. Djed, is the Egyptian word for endurance and lasting. As a fan of prog rock and jazz, I am accustomed to long tracks, and I respect what they were trying to do here, and perhaps I could have enjoyed it, but "Djed" endures way too long for the minimal changes it makes. It takes until the 12 minute mark for a pivotal change, and by then it has lost most of its momentum, becoming less a dirge, and more a straight up annoyance. The repeats could have been halved and still allowed the track to be a good to great shoe gazer/dream pop/ambient/idm track at half or perhaps even 3/4 of the duration. The album really picks up in quality creatively and with respect to the listener after "Djed" with the exquisite yearning of the "Glass Museum". I can practically see The Glass Menagerie playing out in my head while listening to this track. It was cool hearing vibes rocked out. "A Survey" continues the quality instrumental excursion through a dark and ominous outdoor excursion. "The Taut and Tame" Sounds a bit more like your traditional jazz fusion rock. Not bad, but not groundbreaking either. The double sticking of the drummer with his use of rods rather than sticks is impressive exhibition of performance control and consistency. "Dear Grandma and Grandpa" doesn't really work, but mercifully is short in duration. Ultimately, I have come around to Tortoise's MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE being essential enough to be on the list. The production quality is quite high and it is creatively enough of its own thing to merit a spot. I'll take it over many of the terrible country rock and blues rock albums from the early 70s. It is also good enough that I can pinch my nose and djed the hipster cadre that have become attached to this - ahem- vinyl record.
Holy mother of progrock, beginnen met een 20 minuten durend nummer? Ok, ben wel down hier voor! Ik ben er onderhand al achter dat ik Progrock een stuk meer kan waarderen dan ik van tevoren had gedacht, al vind ik het soms wel een beetje geneuzel. De baslijn van het eerste nummer is in elk geval erg lekker en goed op de voorgrond, daar word ik al best wel enthousiast van. Ook vet dat er geen vocals in zitten, althans op minuut 5 heb ik nog niets gehoord. Haha ok Djed is een crazy nummer, het begint lekker atmospherisch, prachtige fijne background muziek en dan na ongeveer 14 minuten begint het te glitchen alsof er iets fout gaat in de muziek. Heel vet gedaan en daarna word het ook iets duisterder lijkt wel? Ok nee, was best wel enthousiast in het begin, maar uiteindelijk is dit wel echt gewoon achtergrond muziek. Heb me prima vermaakt en zelfs nog wat andere nummers in hetzelfde genre doorgeluisterd dankzij Spotify, maar echt blijven hangen? Mwah, dat valt wel mee. Goede werkmuziek, dat wel! FAVO: Djed,
very slow but have some good moments
First song definitely has some NEU! (are they on this list? They should be.) vibes, which I appreciate. Doesn't continue like that, unfortunately. Still... A grand old album and way more interesting and diverse than the tenth Elvis Costello album.
Смесь знакомых ритмов и мелодий без общей структуры. Хоть и любимый жанр но не больше 3
Never heard of this before. Instrumental music. Starts with a 20 min song that is no where near interesting enough to be that long. But the rest of the songs are much the same.
Ik weet niet helemaal wat ik hier mee moet of wat post-rock uberhaupt moet inhouden (klinkt vooral als mensen die zichzelf belangrijker vinden dan ze zijn). Verder klinkt het opzich prima, denk wel vooral als achtergrondmuziek. Hele albums puur instrumentaal vindt ik wel pittig soms hoor, maar vooruit, 3 sterren.
There was some interesting stuff here. It made great background noise.
They know how to build anticipation for something I don’t care about.
if radiohead had a little whimsy
Ihan alkuun voin sanoo ettei oo mitään syytä, että ensimmäinen biisi kestää 20min ja siinä ei varsinaisesti ees tapahdu mitään. Meni työmatka saatana pilalle ton biisin takia... muut biisit oli ihan hyviä, mutta ei tää ny jotenki erikoisesti natsannu
was alright
Math rock 🪨!
Mid-90s indie rock. Experimental post rock. Instrumental soundscape, guitars.
6/10 - But in a positive way. It’s different than what I normally listen to but it was unique and imaginative. A few really nice songs, but half of the album was my least favorite song. Respectful 3 stars.
There are some interesting moments on here and the first song reminds me of Music for 18 Musicians (compliment). The rest of the album can border on boring. 6/10
Heh... It wasn't that bad. Forgettable though.
good album, had a cool electronic sound
2.5
A nice album to have on in the background, a pleasant mind-stimulating but not overwhelming thing.
lækkert nok
Chill
it was ok. sounded like a Bjork album without the singing.
Surreal is a good term for this album. It was artsy, ambient, jazzy, weird, cool, soundtracky to a movie that doesn’t exist outside your head. A 20 minute opener was surprising but as it was broken into different “movements” ( listening, not tracked) it didn’t feel like it. Glass Museum was also a strong contribution. As a bass player, I also appreciated the unitary solo of A Survey (I think it was a Fender Jazz II with a little compression only…simple effects). I don’t know if I will ever come back to this but I definitely feel more experienced listening to it. Hats off Gentlemen!
Random thoughts: * I thought I heard of Tortoise before but maybe I just know the band name. I'm pretty sure I've never listened to this before. * I can see the influences on bands like Radiohead and Explosions in the Sky. * While being only instrumental it was still interesting to listen to. * This seems to be on 1001 more for the influence this band had than maybe the overall enjoyment of the music. * The first track was awesome at even 20 minutes. It kept moving and evolving. * I might pick this up again for background music but is not something I'm probably going to actively listen to.
Never heard of this band but interested to see what they sound like. More mellow rock. Good stuff though.
Quite good
Overall, pleasant to listen to. DJED was an interesting track. Parts of it were really cool. Why do artists insist on 20 minute tracks?! Thought my headphones were failing at one point.
Not for me this one.
Genuinely don't know how I feel about this one. Parts were super cool, but a 20 minute song is always a slog no matter what it sounds like. It'll probably end up being a 3 but I definitely considered both 4 and 2 at various points in this journey.
This was all over the place and had some moments I liked quite a bit. Probably suffers a bit from being very adjacent to a lot of my favourite music, without being some of my favourite music.
3/5
Slow core, interesting but with challenges. Maybe give a second listen.
Um bom disco. Apesar de se perder (e se alongar) em leves a experimentações eletrônicas, as partes rítmicas e melódicas são bem bonitas.
Different than I expected. Not bad, but listen through was plenty and I didn’t walk away with much else.
I’d heard of Tortoise but thought they were a sludge metal band. This had some really great moments in it. It’s interesting to hear the early roots of post-rock and how this album has been a clear influence on a bunch of modern bands. There were a few too many moments on this album that felt more like sketches than fully thought out instrumental sections, but overall I thought the sounds they made here were really great, the bass especially.
the 20 minute song is certainly a journey, at one point halfway through it gets ripped apart backwards and forwards and i can't help but think it could've been split into a different track at that point. Then around 18 mins in, it does the same thing, with a new drum beat and synth pattern emerging, but then it hits you with the beginning swirls, so i realize that my opinion is trash lol i think the 2nd track is more post rock than the first, but the first is certainly a journey. the 3rd track is okay, pulsating and simple the 4th track feels more mathy, i like the synths all across this thing all in all, i see the value of an album like this, i think everyone should try a post-rock album at least once, there's a lot of incredible textures on here and i could certainly see how something like this is influential. At the same time, I know a lot of people are gonna be put off, and I'm not sure i think it's a requirement to listen to THIS particular piece of music before you do. I think it should be the case, but i also think that there are other post rock examples that while not as influential are probably better representatives on a list of music you HAAAAAVE to hear before you die. I think a 3/5 is fair. I wish the rating system was out of 10 because I'd aim for a 7 out of ten, closer to a 7 than an 8.
Kinda cool. 2.5
It was OK
20 minute long song. Quite fun tho
It wasn’t bad, but I won’t revisit.
This intrigued me and was certainly pleasant enough to listen to as something in the background. I'm not feeling confident enough to give this 4 stars just yet, but I'll come back to it, give it more of a focused listen, and I see how I feel about it then.
When I first started the album I prepped myself for some insane, unlistenable nonsense noises; but I gave it a go and listened to the second half first; it works, it's not terribly memorable but it flows and has more than a pinch of experimentation without breaking the album
Not my cup of tea, but they are legendary
Experimental and long. Can feel quite slow at times but kept my interest like good minimalism. Nice varied use of acoustic and electronic instruments. Djed could have been split into several tracks especially since they had distinct parts and endings. Enjoyed The Taut and Tame which stuck out with great musicality. 3/5
More like No Mans Sky than the previous Sigur Ros album
🐢🐢🐢
A nice background/electronic album. I liked this and will probably listen to it again. Another group that has their Spotify bio list them as "one of the most influential groups of the past 40 years". There seem to be a lot of most influential groups out there. In any case I liked this. Probably just a 3 star rating
I respect what you did there, but I do not wish to participate again.
Their initial album was always on constant repeat for me in the mid-90’s and had TNT. This one might be my least favorite of those albums, improves in the 2nd half. They have better albums than this one. Saw them live at Fillmore West in 2000. Great show. The opening act was two people on laptops, which was kind of funny at the time. Interesting how some things haven’t changed in that front in 26 years.
More ambient than anything else. These folks listened to late stage Talk Talk I think
i don't hate this album as much as the other people on this site do, lol. i get the simplicity and odd combination of elements can be a turn off but it got some good riffs going Would I listen again: eh Deserves to be on this list: no 3.1
cool chill album
Barely on the right side of 3
Strange, kind a Angine de Poitrine of the 90’s.
6/10
Unexpected entry in the list. 'Djed' is undoubtedly the highlight here. It is in a weird position because as an album, TNT seems like the obvious choice. However, I really respect the selection. 8/10 [KEEP]
Very interesting album, never listened to tortoise before. Could get quite lost within the soundscape. At times it did drag on and feel a bit long in the tooth but generally enjoyed it. 3.0/5.0 Best Song: Glass Museum
Podsjeća na new age stvari koje nije da nešto volim ali su mi uvijek ok.
сначала мне показалось, что чисто музыка для выставки потом было ощущение, что это просто какие-то фоновые треки для игры 2 порадовал из-за него и рыб на обложке ставлю 3 звезды
The first time I listened to the album, I think I was working on something, because my take away is that it was subtle and boring. But on replay, it’s clear to me now that this album has a lot going on. Both good and bad. I’ll start with the negative, which is this album is subtle and slow at moments. Like “dear grandma and grandpa”. It wasn’t bad, I just didn’t get anything out of it and I found it to be slow. The positives are that more than half the album is really good. I loved the songs “glass museum”, “the taut and tame”, and “along the banks of rivers”. Those three tracks are my favorite. The only songs I didn’t mention are “a survey” and “djed”. The survey song I didn’t really care for, but Djed is crazy. It’s really the centerpiece of this album despite being at the front. It’s this wild LONG progressive song that incorporates like 100 different ideas and has moments that are mildly psychedelic and progressive. Honestly this song was alienating at first but it just kept getting better and better. I could also see why I checked out the first time I listened to this album, that opening track requires your full attention not just to appreciate everything it has going on but also just to be invested in the song you kinda have to put extra effort into it (or at least you do if you have severe ADHD like I do). Seriously a solid album even if it’s not gunna be one of my favorites.
First listen, just alright.
The opening track is a masterpiece, just ok after that but probably a 3.5
The album was... fine? I mean for 1996 it was probably pretty interesting, but I'm not sure it holds up to anything now. I definitely didn't dislike it, but wasn't "wowed" either.
It’s alright.
Listening to this, I thought: Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Dirty Three... Normally I'd dig it, but I found it kind of dull. I've heard some of their later stuff and that was more exciting to me. No shade, but I didn't groove with it.
Very atmospheric but not a lot happens
Interesting. I might like this. Will dig into it some more.
Good background music, the more experimental tracks I didn't love but it's a good album. Favorite songs: Dear Grandma and Grandpa, Glass Museum
I wouldn't mind if this was background noise
Instrumental album. Did it better than Herbie Hancock. But even so not my taste
Not typically what I would put on, but pretty interesting mood music.
It may be important, but it’s ultimately empty. Like haute cuisine that refuses to actually feed you, this “post rock” noodling isn’t unpleasant but it is unfulfilling.
I liked it! Decent variety I guess. Mostly instrumental
This was pretty cool instrumental rock. There were some parts of Djed that were a little abrasive that I didn't love but otherwise this was pretty tight and enjoyable.
chill instrumental.
That first song didn't need to be 20 minutes long when there were distinct breaks in the music and instrumentation throughout. That being said, I really enjoyed the rest of it. Super smooth and a good jam. Favorite Track: Glass Museum, really really liked this one
pretty interesting
I never thought I'd actually enjoy a post-rock kind of album, but this one was a pleasant surprise. The soundscape it provided felt like running from one fever dream to the next. Maybe if it had hit me on another day I'd be more sour, but I enjoyed the experience. Not something I'd queue up to listen to on a whim, but cool for what it does.
This album really messes with your head, it's this big, instrumental trip that gives me the feeling of ambling through a boring, almost deserted town and then suddenly being on another planet. I got totally lost in "Djed", with its mix of driving beats, weird electronic sounds, and jazzy vibes. It's got this balance of being somewhat easy to listen to but also weirdly interesting and atmospheric. It's got this moody, unpredictable vibe, kinda like Krautrock but with a Western movie soundtrack feel. But then, when I was just really getting into it, the album just ends with this weird sudden stop.
Never thought id appreciate this lofi rock. It has its place during my day. Spaghetti Western guitars over lofi backgrounds are perfect ambient for work.
Interesting 20 minute first song. I had heard a shorter version before. Didn’t live listening to the album from start to finish though.
Wow, this was a nice surprise. I especially enjoyed the 20+ minute opening song.
Kind of soothing prog rock. Have never heard of them before.
Very cool mellow background music. Doesn’t deserve its low rating. 3 stars
Better than i initially expected. Not enough to listen to again though
When you click the name of the artist it leads you to the wiki page for the actual animal!!! 🐢
It was weird with a 20 min + song, and yet I was working and it was in the background and I felt a little sad when it was over.
I think I got through it?
I really like postrock bands like Aereogramme, Explosions in the Sky, An Autumn and Godspeed! You Black Emperor, so I thought this would be a great album. Well, it’s not. And I think it’s more post-baroque/pop than rock. It has its moments, but that’s all
If I saw this band busking I probably would give them a full 15 minutes and then talk about it later. Instead I read all about how much I am required to respect this album and I was locked in for the full 40. A kind of peaceful album, certainly unique. I just had to listen a little longer than I would have in the wild. Marks for interestingness.
Without this list, I don’t think I would’ve ever listened to this album in my life. I gave it a couple of spins. I will play it again while cleaning the house. It restored a bit of faith in this whole project.
This was a fine listen of instrumental music. It definitely isn’t an album you must hear before you die though. 2.75 / 5
Album #75: Millions Now Living Will Never Die - Tortoise Genre (W): Post-rock, jazz fusion Singles: Djed, The Taut and Tame I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: This album requires a lot of patience, but you will be rewarded, sometimes, for sitting through it. Despite that, I feel like the album drags on too long to be memorable/enjoyable. Favorite songs: Djed, Glass Museum, The Taut and Tame, Dear Grandma and Grandpa
Didn’t know post rock went back this far. Was fine but I’m never crazy into post rock
I reccomend giving this a listen as this band is the definition of post-rock... "experimental rock that emphasizes texture, atmosphere, and non-traditional song structures over conventional rock techniques." Instrumentals with lots of electronics. Some songs are more experimental than others.
temitas se fondo bueno apruebo
Odd album but surprisingly enjoyable.
It's not what I used to listen to so that's nice
Enjoyable listen.
This was ok. It kind of just all blended together to me, but I didn’t mind having it on.
I had never heard of this band or album before. Listening here, it kind of seemed like they were trying to create a feel like you'd find on The Dark Side of the Moon, but without the vocals. TDSOTM is my highest-rated album on this list (so far), so I support the endeavor. I thought the music was good outside of the vibe, too. I played this while I made breakfast, and I never got too distracted to stop listening. Even without vocals and with the long opener, it kept me engaged. My biggest detractor for this one is that I don't really see it having much relisten value. I enjoyed it this time, but I don't know that I'll be drawn back to it again. Still, I have to say I thought it was a pretty good album. Overall: 3.5
The album and band name couldn't help but remind me of that recent death hoax over the world's oldest tortoise. The album itself was alright, I liked Along the Banks of Rivers most
10 minute plus cresendo-core could go fuck themself. also wdym that the first song is 20+ minutes while the other are 5 and a half minutes maximum? isnt this just a lazy maggot brain ripoff? but yeah although this is not crescendo-core it need to go fuck itself too. 3/5
Very atmospheric and engaging music to play in the background. Is that confusing? Yeah, so is the music.
Took some patience to warm up to.. If post-rock was designed by the world's most chill librarian, this might be it. The intro is basically watching paint dry, but it's pleasant enough background noise. It is peaceful. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Djed - Glass Museum - Dear Grandma and Grandpa
Pleasant but not terribly interesting. Some cool rhythmic ideas.
While this isn't bad, it's the wrong side of weird, experimental and ponderous for me. Interesting to listen to once, but no real replay value.
pretty good albeit a little boring at times, but I got the sense that was intended in order to make the more interesting parts more exciting.
Rating: 6/10 Favorite song(s): not sure I have one in particular Review: I don’t have much to say about this one. It was alright. The soundscape wasn’t completely my cup of tea. It was okay, but nothing exciting. And I enjoy ambient music. Listen again?: Probably not
This was really cool, and that's it. Not to undermine what this record has to offer - I think it has strokes of genius in it's composition and pacing at times, while other times... not as much. When this record really has my attention I really love it. The soundscapes created by Tortoise are unique enough where I can see myself coming back to this to turn my brain off for the night and enjoy it's depth and serenity. When it meanders, it's really not for long. I can easily overlook that. However, at 42 minutes and a whopping 6 tracks - it's not a behemoth like Music Has The Right To Children, which I believe this album is very much like in delivery. I am looking forward to checking out other work from Tortoise to see if there's more under the surface. Highlights: Djed, Glass Museum, Along the Banks of Rivers Lowlight: A Survey
Das Album wirkt heute erstaunlich blutleer. Die langen Passagen verlieren schnell an Spannung, viele Ideen bleiben skizzenhaft, und der Flow bricht immer wieder weg. Man hört den Anspruch, aber er trägt nicht durch. Unterm Strich mehr Konzept als Wirkung.
I like a lot of the groups that came along in the next wave of instrumental rock/post-rock, but I see where this was a big influence. I have to be in the right mood, but I enjoy putting this style on as background music.
5/10 Really nice background music at times, but still background music. There was something about 'A Survey' that I enjoyed - the comfort of warm and clean acoustic guitar gently picking over the ambience of crickets in the night. Great track. I didn't connect with the last three tracks at all. Best track: A Survey Will I revisit?: Likely while working or focusing
For me Tortoise always represented the labcoat end of post-rock and as such were not necessarily my favourites of that music critic cooked up genre. I prefer the loud/quiet angst of Slint, the beautiful smothering intensity of Labradford or the elegaic end-of-the-world-sadness of GYBE! I'm not sure any of these bands have that much in common other than a commitment in the 90s to not succumb to rock nostalgia which was everywhere at the time and remains rock's dominant mode up to today. Tortoise probably sound most like they were trying to make prog for people with short hair and no interest in wizards. I can just about relate them to Soft Machine or Hatfield and the North. Nothing wrong in that. I like what they are doing but I feel kept at arms length emotionally. Maybe that's because out of all the big post-rock groups they seem closest to trying to meet the then current challenge of techno's impersonality in the way they use rhythm and texture. I listened to this on streaming but I still had a nanosecond of "this CD is skipping" about two thirds of the way into Djed.
snoozefest but not unpleasant
This was pretty cool.
An interesting album choice for this project. While it has the same structure as some of the prog rock albums in this collection (including the recent ELP dud "Tarkus")--a super long first track/side with somewhat distinct movements, then shorter (and presumably unrelated) tracks to round out the album--I was really reminded more of Kraftwerk's "Autobahn", no doubt due to the instrumental/electronic focus (especially so with "Djed"). I'm not sure exactly why the Wikipedia entry repeatedly mentioned how they were big in the "post-rock" scene (although my confusion is maybe more about that term, I suppose), but I guess I wouldn't have called their music "rock" in any real sense (except maybe "Along the banks of rivers"), and much of this album seems more indebted to Philip Glass or perhaps the avant-garde aspects of industrial/experimental music. Either way, I enjoyed it, but more as background music than something that kept my attention. I'm also mildly intrigued by the album title, given its connection to a seemingly incorrect prediction by the Jehovah Witnesses that the world would end in 1925 (with salvation for many).
A little Twin Peaks-y, esp the last track, but this isn't bad, just a heads up. Atmospheric but not too in your face and sort of low-key progressive. May also be the source of the vague nausea I've felt ever since starting this for the third time.
This was such a fun listening experience. Most of the time I checked the player and said to myself "its still the same song?!". That's a good and bad thing, but mostly good. I enjoy Post-Rock from time to time. Djed is obviously the standout track, so many movements, it's a full symphony within a song. It's a shame that the shorter songs feel half baked Ideas instead of finished work, mostly sound as if they were demos. The Tout and the Tame was my favorite, reminded me of Stereolab. Curious to listen to TNT and other Tortoise albums, hopefully i'll find something that I like more than the second half of this album
feliz que terei alguns álbuns instrumentais nessa lista, e peguei o meu primeiro. não muito do que eu costumo ouvir quando se trata de instrumental, mas foi bem divertido. ps: ouvi enquanto lavava a cama do meu gato favorita: djed
I didn't mind this. Would make decent focus kind of music.
I am a latecomer to the greatness of Tortoise and finally saw them live at Big Ears last year. This is not music for every mood for me, but seeing it live is pretty incredible.
ehh prva pjesma od 20min....nisu pink floyd...you are not him
3/5
When i saw the band name and year, I was expecting some US alt-rock but what I got was quite different! I've seen it labelled as post-rock but I found a distinct lack of the rock half of that equation, leaning more into immersive soundscapes and jazz-influenced textures. Not that that's a bad thing and this wasn't unpleasant but it would take multiple listens to unwrap it and it's not going to get that time right now.
Quite enjoyable although I couldn’t get completely swept away. Made me yearn for Angelo Badalamenti.
I've always enjoyed this one, though never been swept away by it. Still, there are some nice moments.
Favorite Track: Glass Museum
What I would describe as ambient rock. Favourite track: Glass Museum
post rock has never super been my thing but this was fairly digestible as they come!
Instrumental, but kinda thin in structure and idea. Sounds like music that should have singing over it .
To be listened to
03/03/26
3/5
В песнях нет слов и у меня тоже (но вообще прикольно)
This album led me down the Wikipedia wormhole of post-rock. The music is interesting, but I didn't love it.
Some good stuff in there especially that second (?) song
Not unpleasant but not particularly inspiring
I had listened to “Djed” before after seeing it on Pitchfork’s top 100 songs of the 90’s or some such, but the rest of this was new to me. Chill, non-abrasive, mid-tempo instrumentals are fine with me. They aren’t something I’m particularly into but I have no beef with them. But this album was released on January 30, 1996, and Hanson would put out “MMMBop” on March 24, 1997. If Tortoise had recorded “MMMBop” instead of this then they could have beaten Hanson to the punch and had a hit. The path not taken, you know?
Cool atmospheric post-rock.
Djed didn’t work for me and that song’s half the album. Liked Glass Museum though
When I think something good is gonna happen, nothing does. Then I noticed it's an instrumental album. I mean, there’s nothing surprising or really good about this album, but it’s not garbage either. Maybe someday I’ll listen to Tortoise again.
Caught my ear as a nice background to work, looking forward to another though, 3.5 rounding down with promise of looking forward to more
звучит интересно, но не зацепило, возможно нужно будет вернуться через время и переслушать
Прослушала на фоне, для такого идеальная музыка. Но закончился альбом, и я даже не поняла, что это какой - то другой трек. Поэтому от меня только 3 балла. Также забыла отрецензировать альбом Snoop Dogg. Что со мной сделал этот челендже, если я вижу альбом 1993 года и радуюсь тому, что это новье. Несмотря на год выхода для меня прозвучал современнее недавнего альбома OutKast, который слушали. Качает Снуп классно
It was ok to have on in the background as I drove home. Nothing too offensive and it washed over just nice
At the beginning, I thought I’d dread listening to this album throughout the whole runtime, but once it got that groove going in the first song, it changed my mind. The whole album isn’t like that and I would say less than half of it is exciting to listen to, but it definitely has its moments.
Totally fine. Guys are certainly messing around at times and having a good time, but I didn't find anything really groundbreaking here. Not unlistenable at the slightest, just didn't feel cohesive in any bit. Plus a hugely long song at the start really made me concerned that this album was going to be a real multi hour slogfest, but it's not.
Started off extremely annoyed but ended up pleasantly surprised. That’s math rock, baby
One of the few entirely instrumental rock projects to be included in the book, Millions Now Living Will Never Die is an interesting amalgamation of genres. It's the first of two albums by Tortoise to feature Pajo of Slint fame on bass, uncoincidentally being their two best albums by a long shot. The album starts out slow and smooth with Djed, taking a few minutes to get warmed up before jumping into some lush yet soothing atmospheric Post-Rock. I love the minimalism influence on this record, particularly on Djed, but also on Glass Museum and Along the Banks of Rivers. I think playing around with monotonous and repetitive elements while letting the atmosphere move around them is a great idea when well-executed and I think they did a fair job executing it here. My biggest critique is shared with the other Pajo album TNT; there really isn't much direction or growth throughout the record. Slow builds and crescendos are absolutely my favorite part of Post-Rock as a genre, and though there's some dynamic contrast MNLWND is relatively stagnant, remaining in that mezzo piano softness and rarely leaving. It's relaxing and meditative to be sure, but lacks much intrigue or excitement. Overall though the textures are really nice and the soundscapes they make are lovely. They lose me a little bit near the end of the record, but I feel like this record is designed (or at least best suited) for background listening, and I'm not just saying that because it's instrumental.
Hmm not sure what I think about this album.🤔 Giving it three for creativity
Interesting album, wouldn’t say I would seek it out but it was cool to have on to sort of set a mood
Listen I like weird stuff but this was just random sounds and stuff the album
Weird again. Not sure how I felt about it really. Listenable, background music. Nothing too exciting though.
Det här är behagligt, även om det mer är något som jag skulle dra på i bakgrunden än aktivt lyssna på. Att låta första låten vara halva albumets längd är också helt klart ett val.
För historielös vad gäller postrock för att sätta högre, men det är ju najs det jag hör!
I had no idea what to expect from this album and now that I have listened to it I have no real idea of what to say. It’s a lot of prolonged variations on musical themes and I think it’s worth listening to, but I also had a hard time staying focused on it and often felt my mind wander. Still glad I gave it a spin overall.
A bit boring.
Choppy, instrumental, mildly-jazzy electro stuff. Interesting, sure. Just not that exciting or memorable. And I'm a guy who likes instrumental post-rock.
Many years ago, when I was on college radio, I accidentally played Tortoise when I was supposed to be playing jazz because I grabbed from the wrong shelf. The music was inoffensive but not what I wanted. Same goes for this one. I will say that this record would be much MUCH more enjoyable if they took that opening track ("Djed") and stuck it at the end instead of the beginning. I assume they lose 90% of potential listeners in the first two minutes because of that; the rest of the record is better. So if you're struggling, try skipping that one.
No standouts, but inoffensive
Here's the Bandcamp link if you want to avoid the warmongering and AI-shitified Spotify https://tortoise.bandcamp.com/album/millions-now-living-will-never-die
Cool! Not something I would have found on my own. I might be going back to this one later.
2.5
big video game vibes. the jehovah witness background made me laugh. Not great but I vibed
This was pretty nice, but it did get a little too chill for me, like to the point where I get distracted too easily. There was a wasp in our kitchen and I had to open the windows. You know, that sort of thing. I really like post rock, but I like it as it is quite exciting and in your face. This is neither. It's not bad, it's just nice and relatively forgettable.
In a sense, post-rock went where prog never could, i.e., besides the best of Floyd or King Crimson, the progers were too early to the party of strange & experimental notions. Tho 'rock' was still a possibility at the time Tortoise emerged, following the lessons of Talk Talk, the group understood that it could all now be reengineered. In reality, this record has next to nothing to do w/ rock, being more of a conflation of techno, jazz, and European forms, and really only the ideas of those genres. Even when the electric guitar is the most predominant instrument, I think of Sun Ra more than Jimi Hendrix. And yet, tho I respect and enjoy this more than records by ELP or Rush, it ultimately suffers from the same defects: it's boring, it's dead, it's snooty.
Never heard of this band before, was surprised to see a 90s indie rock band on this list I’ve never even heard of. This is apparently a really influential post-rock album. First track was 20 minutes long and bored me to death but the rest was perfectly fine and quite nice at times. Felt like a more boring and mellow take on one of those turn of the millennium emo-leaning math rock bands. Like Polvo or Don Caballero or something. It was pleasant to listen to but I didn’t really connect with it that much.
3.5 Ambient music with the slappy clappy drum and a myserious pseudo-philosophical title has been done so many times
Come for Djed and stay for...well, come for Djed.
You know it’s very ok when I forgot to do my review after listening and can’t remember what the album even sounded like. I think this was just ambient music with no vocals that was kind of relaxing. 5/10
Quite relaxing to listen to overall. Can’t say I’ve ever come across these guys before. Feels a bit like being in a fancy coffee shop with some pleasant ambient background music but there are better choices to listen to if I want something like this. Technically competent but a bit uninspiring. 3.5*
This is the least offensive album I’ve had of the last 3 by a landslide. I’m conflicted about rating it. It really feels like nothing more than background music. It’s good background music, but do I need to hear background music before I die?
Honestly when it gets jammy, I do kind of like this album, but the more experimental "fun with white noise" bits kind of lose me for the most part. (6.8) ★★★
3.5
Hay que saber meterse en el post rock. Y te tiene que agarrar en el mood indicado. 6/10
Pretty good instrumental music, sounded kind of like a low-key version of Weather Report to me. Little too laid back for my tastes.
Fav: Along The Banks Of Rivers Least Fav: A Survey Interesting mix of atmospheric, relaxing stuff followed by some lovely jazz. Wish the jazz stuff was the whole album but as my first post-rock album, it’s left me interested in seeing what else it has to offer
A lot more chill than the title suggests. I'm actually going to add this to my personal collection for some great ambient tunes at work.
A very original album, but no less interesting; I was surprised but enjoyed listening to it.
I struggled a bit at first because those long, very long atmospheric stretches feel a bit like prog self-indulgence, or a rehearsal jam that doesn’t end. But then tracks like Glass Museum and The Taut and Tame finally bring some breathing room with clear tones, real grooves, and musical technique that actually shines. That part is genuinely great. So I’m pretty torn. But it’s the kind of record I can come back to and I will, along with their other albums.
Langsam und ruhig - perfekte Hintergrundmusik (auch wenn das die Musiker selbst wohl ungern hören)
Enjoyable
nearly a 4, a bit too woo woo for me
Kind of enjoyable, soothing.
instrumental
Really like this. Super interesting
Yet another random noise album. Felt all over the place. Reminded me of Death Cab instrumentals. Unclear why it's here, had some nice moments though, 3*
Whelming
Cool album Definitely would put this on again
I love instrumental albums. I love ambient music. I do like mine with a bit of more drums or faster tempo. Is this why this didn't click? I really, really wanted to like it. Opening 20 minute track is good only in parts, the rest are fine, and the last one is the best on the album so at least it washed away the major disappointment I felt while listening.
This is quite interesting, I don't know why I was expecting yet another indie album. However as interesting as this is, I am not so huge on post-rock despite obvious influence of this band. A lot of ideas here but feels kind of loose. Probably right in the middle for this one.
Big fan of post-rock but not the Tortoise brand of post-rock. Early post-rock like Tortoise or Bark Psychosis tends to be a little too monotonous for my taste, and I heavily prefer the crescendo-driven approach popularized by bands like GY!BE. I remember listening to TNT and not enjoying it very much. However, this album I liked a lot more. It is also very relaxed, but I found the texture and atmosphere more enjoyable. The guitar work is great, and all the extra electronic elements work well. Still not really my type of music, but this albums was good. 7/10
Good background music. Not something that I could just sit and listen to the whole album Of just because
I like the sounds, especially the spaghetti western guitar. Really cool rhythmically, gets you into a vibe. But combine minimalism with a 20-minute piece and it kinda sounds like a Shine on You Crazy Diamond demo tape, a little half baked. I just wish it had more melody. But that’s a genre thing, these guys sound good.
The 20 minute song starts off really well, and I could see it slowly turning into a super epic explosive song, but instead it just kinda turns into a wet fart of nothing. Around the 11 minute mark the beat changes to something more interesting, but not as exciting as the opening led me to believe. I want to like this album so much more than I actually do. I can see a lot of elements from albums I love, but it never quite takes their ideas far enough to be interesting. Some of the albums this reminds me of are: Slint - Spiderland, Can - Tago Mago, and Soft Cell - Third. High 3.
first half is banging. id rather be listening to bcnr tho. 3.5
Some of it was really good, some of it annoying. Split the difference.
Weirdly interesting instrumental jazz rock.
Man, add some lyrics in here and maybe you'll have something. As it, it's fine.
post-rock-y, tud ez jobb is lenni
hat en ezt nem tudtam hova tenni. de voltak jo pillanatai
Highlight Song/s: Glass Museum This is quite a texture-rich album, great vibe to it. Such as The Taut and Tame reminds me of something off of Seventeen Seconds (The Cure.) Other than that It is just quite underwhelming for me; just doesn't strike a chord. I can see why someone might like this album.
only beats; no vocals still beats were good
Great listening for when in mindless spreadsheet land.
this album is a bit hard to describe. it's jazz... math... rock? i think? it's so loose in terms of genre and all the tracks, you'd have to find your own meaning if you turned it on yourself. very minimal, very ambient... it's seriously difficult to describe this album, but it's definitely the kind of weird, quiet krautrock that an alternative or indie group would try to make when they're bored. i'm trying to get a good feel for the sound, but more often than not, i lose interest. there's something here, but i'm still trying to figure out what it is.
Alright background music
Jag skulle vilja ge detta album 2,5/5. Skickliga musiker men kanske inget jag lyssnar på igen. Inslagen av flera minuters skrapiga grusljud som är så typiska för ambient musik är inte riktigt något för mig. Ett album som försvinner i bakgrunden medans man pysslar med annat.
It's fine, you can hear the influence of this on other rock instrumentalists but I just don't think it's a genre that lends itself that well to instrumental songs. 3*
I don’t know why
Sort of charming. I was quite enjoying Djed until 14 minutes in when it decided to become annoying.
Album No. 0033 on my list. Never heared of Tortoise before, but I can definitely see why this is considered an important record. For me, this was an enjoyable listen overall. The whole album is pretty groovy, and even though it does not have any singing parts, it did not bore me at all. On the other hand, its instrumental nature makes this something I'd rather listen to in the background instead of properly listening to this album just for the sake of itself. "Djed", the first track, which makes up around half of the album itself, was my favorite track, despite its length. 3/5 stars!
Cool interesting instrumentals, but not engaging enough for me to listen to the whole song
Good, atmospheric instrumental album with interesting layers, perfect for background music.
Superb!
Never heard their stuff before but a like it
Never heard this before, great stuff!
Middle of the road
Interesting. Need to relisten
Sounds
First time listening. I almost didn’t make it through the opening track, Djed. It started off ok, but then it turned into a kind of noise that made me want to drive my car into a wall. After that, it is was smooth sailing the rest of the way. Glass Museum, A Survey, and The Taut and Tame were proggy goodness. I also enjoyed the spaghetti western feel of Along The Banks of Rivers. Would probably listen to again, but I’m skipping the first track. 3.5/5
En la U tenía un compañero que escribía puros jeroglíficos en las pruebas para que lo citaran a "leer su prueba" y así subir sus notas. Necesito que los chiquillos estos de las tortugas vengan a explicarme ese primer track de casi 21 minutos. Sin él habría amado el disco. La onda de The Taut and Tame está buenísima, pero no puedo superar los 20:57 de algo que sonaba muy a nada, la verdad.
Metro y bus, a las 3 de la tarde en septiembre. Relajante y retador. HIPNÓTICO
Essentially ambient shoegaze, with a little jazziness thrown in. Perfect for my current debugging session.
Need to listen and rate it.
Quite an interesting listen! This is what this project is for. 3/5
OK so . . . the album is about 50% the first song - the parts that sounded like Kidsmoke (Wilco) I liked a lot, the parts where it sounds like their studio equipment was breaking down and they said, 'Fuck it, keep recording' I liked a lot less. Had they just stuck with the heavy bass line I think I would have really grooved to this album but . . . At one point they appeared to have snuck in the some naval sub pinging sonar for some reason. I feel like this is one of those bands you really have to spend some time with to fully appreciate. Didn't hate, don't love it. Do love Wilco! Closest contemporary in the genre that came to my mind is God is an Astronaut.
Very long drawn out jamming not my tea but good for them
A very cool instrumental album. No single track stood out, but the overall effect was quite impressive.
Ambient, nothing crazy
Very good. A clear influence on bands like Mogwai. Pleasantly hypnotic. One to revisit
Electronic... Prefer shorter songs
This was different but I kinda liked it. I feel like this album with great headphones would sound amazing. Interesting instrumentals but a strangely nice listen.
I enjoyed this, but there were times it came close to annoying me. The first half of the first song felt like "what if we just took the first 10 seconds of a normal song and blew it out for 10 minutes." But the later half of the album kept me interested. When it played like a cool soundtrack to a movie I hadn't seen, if worked. When I felt like it was asking me to look at it as some intellectual activity to be "appreciated," it left me cold.
'Glass Museum' is definitely the strongest song, but (besides the movie soundtrack score of the opening song) the rest of it mostly sounded a bit more noodly and experimental. For me, it ultimately was not all that compelling altogether.
Very good, a chill background sounds ape that was innovative for its time
I would never seek this out. But for instrumental / electronic music, it is pretty good / not bad. But I’ll probably never listen again.
If I had a pound for every time I'd tried to get into post-rock I might be able to afford a pint outside of London. This was the second pound earnt from this record. Sam Jennings first introduced me to it and when he did I listened to it every day for a week or so. This was the first I'd revisited it since. Lots of cool moments but hard to give it a four.
A bad I have never heard or heard of. Starting out with a 20 minute mood piece is definitely a bold choice, but I'm enjoying it more than I would have expected.
I enjoyed it much more than I expected.
Almost sounded like video game music. Another where I wish there were decimals, would have this closer to a 4
My definition of post rock was always influenced by Godspeed! You Black Emperor's euphoric highs. So on my first listen of this, I was wondering why this was characterized as post rock. It was all over the place and though some melodies caught me, they never built to a climax. I'm a person that is infamously into a band that jams on a repeating phrase over and over again and yet it didn't stick the first time. That's when I researched the genre of post rock in general and what I read was that post rock is supposed to be music built on texture and without structure. There's the build up of course, but when I thought of the word "texture", I decided to give it a second listen. It's nothing spectacular, but I can at least give it some respect. This is not an album meant for conventional listening, but rather, light background music that makes some sort of impression. Maybe it's my Stereolab senses tingling. (5/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Post-rock put me off straight away but I gave it a go anyway. It was fine. The first track is distressingly long but the rest plinky plonk their way along quite quickly. It is blandish background music that occasionally lets out a squeal to make sure you are still there. It’s nothing that I will revisit but it was better than “post rock” would imply.
I saw Tortoise live in a warehouse in Dubuque, Iowa, in maybe 2010, which was awesome. They had some synth I’ve never seen before or since that was played like a marimba.
This is the song that doesn't end. Yes it goes on and on my friends. It might make good cleaning music though
Some interesting sounds and a 21 minute opening track. 1st time for everything.
Sparse and sumptuous. I lost track of time, in a decent way.
Trippy
I wish I could find more just instrumental stuff like this. Really good, I hear there next album was even better
5/10 It isn't bad, its just I didn't notice when the music stopped. plus there are some annoying noises in the first track. 8-6-2025
This was ok. I guess the fact that it sounds like pretty much all the other Post Rock music I've heard makes sense as this pretty much defined the genre. In terms of significance, I suppose that makes this album very significant. In terms of listenability, I could listen to it again in the right mood though I think the first track could have cut out much of the last 5ish minutes. 3/5
The 20-minute intro to an album in a genre I didn't know existed felt like I'd voluntarily stumbled into a rather aimless abyss. I can see why this is categorized as post rock. It kind of sucks all the fun and grit and words out of rock and mostly leaves a gentle, calming experience with rock instrumentals instead. It was fine enough though, nice ambient mood music.
7/29/25. Wasn't expecting an instrumental, but interesting nontheless. Cool, atmospheric sounds in this one, last track had to be my favorite.
Didn't initially grab me, but the songs did start to grow on me. Can't fault the technical playing and instrumentation.
Never heard about this band before and it was an OK listen, as it was intrumental and great for background music, but Im not a massive fan of post rock. There are some good instrumental bits but most of it was forgettable. 2.5 but making it to a 3. Meh
There are some really good parts on this album, especially in the 20+ minute opener. It’s textured, creative, and builds nicely, but like the rest of the album, it tends to drift once it gets somewhere interesting. That’s kind of the story throughout: ideas appear, then wander off before they fully land. All in all, this album feels more like a sketchbook of cool sounds than a fully satisfying listen. Honestly, the first track gave me most of what I needed.
Not. Ad
Solid
Solid 3.5, good ambience but not particularly memorable.
Kann man machen
Not bad. I was working with it on. I'll have to read about what was so great about it. If I had it on in the car or something I think it would be fewer stars
I...think I enjoyed this? I don't know why I'm so unsure. Parts of it can be a bit irritating, but overall the ambient-ish vibes are appreciated.
Enjoyed this, and am glad to know of its existence. Relaxing, but also interesting. Probably a seven, but I'm rounding down because I can't think when I'd want to listen again.
This sounds as though it was recorded in 1976, not 1996. I think it's all the better for it. I'm softening in my own older age. I've become a bloody hippy.
At first it was very “background music for an educational film about how microscopes work,” but by the end I was enjoying it as being actually good, not just quirky good.
it's alright. it starts off so interesting but floats into the background
Favorite Track: Along the Banks of Rivers
If you’d never heard Radiohead, this would be incredible. Now I’m not going to be churlish. They’re a little before Radiohead, and they’re not bad. But they’re not great. Too obsessed with their cleverness to quite get to clever. I do like the album title. 2.5
Labelling themselves as "One of the most influential bands of the last 40 years" at the beginning of their Spotify profile... 3 stars
Absolutely didn't notice when YouTube went on to generic synthwave
Not EVEN atmospheric or background musicscapes like I've heard it might be, I found this 6 track (42 minute) collection refreshing and an easy first listen.
Better than the average instrumental album. Hands on very progressive and aggressive play bass is insane, whole album is good. Great musicians whoever they are. First song way too long so had to listen in 2 segments because of a conference call twice so didnt flow as it should have yet found it great a little weak at some parts but for a 20 minute song it was superb.
This was ok. Not much to say about it one way or the other.
There is an innovative quality that sets this apart from other ambiance-heavy, dream-like jazz rock. It’s great music to work to. Driven and not distracting. Ultimately, it fades a bit into the background. A live show would probably be pretty inspiring.
An experience as much as anything, the opening 21 min track bending and winding its way through the soundscape.
Not sure I’m the right audience for a 6-song 42 minute album but the first song is 21 of those minutes. Definitely some interesting background music for my book, but not something I’m gonna go back to.
Alternative for silence
Opener meanders a bit more than it earns, otherwise the album had some good moods that invite you in and swirl around you
Decent instrumental album. Sounds pretty innovative for its time. I probably wouldn't listen to this very often though. Glass Museum is an iconic song however and I do think it is the best.
Never heard of this group, in spite of their apparent influence on others. It was intriguing and I would probably listen to them more.
i don't knowww… skipping the first one i kinda like the ambient vibes? weird to be on this list though
Interesting album, great ambient background sounds but didn’t hold my interest all the way. I’m not against long form tracks like ‘Djed’ but it didn’t really move far from where it began, I would have rather had a journey with some change happening. Shorter tracks were fine. Overall 2.5/5 middle of the road, my rating may differ on another day
A soundscape sort of thing. I zoned out and forgot it was even playing for a while. Sort of enjoyable when I was paying attention. Whatever, a 3 I guess.
Интересно, но не вау
Stuck in the middle with this one. Enjoyed it in parts but would have to force myself to sit down and listen intently to get anything further from it. Noise rock in its early stage but has been done better since this. 02/05/25
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
There were moments throughout that perked my ears - a lot of the rest was solid background music. Why do you need a song that long to start off the album?