Hail the Traveler by Pet The Tiger

 

Another release by Public Eyesore but this time with a great number of positive surprises.

Pet The Tiger is a collective led by David Samas. An uncanny type of collective as it is a pack of instrument inventors and  improvisors. There are a few names here which are familiar thanks to the previous work of theirs that I know from other records. Peter Whitehead in particular whom I know from Out Of Round Records and his other solo cds but also Lucas DeLeon, Sophia Shen, Joel Nelson and of course Bryan Day who is standing behind the whole Public Eyesore.

I could possibly say that those are archival records as they were recorded a few years back but at the same time they still sound fresh and especially when you think of how much has happened in creative lives of all the musicians here.  

12 tracks which are played quite entirely on invented instruments - improvised and composed together. 

And what a diversity of styles. 

Track 1 could be easily mistaken for Javanese or Balinese gamelan as it has similar vibe and the instruments used are played in a way you normally associate with this style.

Track 4 where Peter Whitehead sings could be easily a folk protest song - has a lot of Americana flair but done in a much more interesting way thanks to composition and the usage of different instruments.

Garden of Gods blends a vibe that you can experience probably through Indian ragas but with more experimental approach. 

River of terror on the other hand brings this bliss to an extreme halt where improvised music is blasting quite a murky and catastrophic vibe.

Surges and Tides on the other hand is a modern composition ambience with natural instrumental drones.

There is more surprises in the tracks here as they are all done not only with natural sense of virtuosity but they blend so much of the sonic poetry and drama that is a rare find.

Try it for yourself, you won't be disappointed!

Lunchroom Pet

David Samas with Peter Whitehead

Gamelan Encinal: Stephen Parris, Daniel Schmidt, Derek Drudge, Kim Nucci, Sophia Shen, Patrick Liddell, Joel Nelson, Maria Siino, Lucas DeLeon

Elegy and Bardo

David Samas: invented instruments, voice

Tom Nunn: invented instruments

Bart Hopkin: invented instruments

Peter Whitehead: invented instruments, voice

Pahoehoe

David Samas: invented instruments, voice

Tom Nunn: invented instruments

Bryan Day: invented instruments

Susan Rawcliffe: original ceramic flutes

All of this music was composed and improvised by and for Pet the Tiger instrument inventors collective led by David Samas.

Lunchroom Pet was recorded by Stephen Parris at Littlefield Hall, Mills, Oakland California, 2018

Elegy, Bardo and Pahoehoe were recorded by Bryan Day at the Nunnery in 2017 and 2018 and mixed and mastered by David Michalak.

Photography by Paul Winstanley

Bandcamp