Tortoise :: Touch

It’s been nine years since the last full album of new music by Tortoise. 2016’s The Catastrophist feels like it came out a lifetime ago. But any doubt that time or distance has diminished the long-running outfit should be dismissed by a new album Touch, which demonstrates that, despite a nine year interval, Tortoise can be counted on for music which is unpredictable and exhilarating.  

Tortoise :: Bimbo’s, San Francisco, May 25, 1996

With more-than-welcome new jams from Tortoise hitting this month, it’s a good time to dig back into the band’s extensive live collection on Archive.org. If you’re looking for somewhere to start, you can’t go wrong with this 1996 gig at Bimbo’s in San Francisco. The David Pajo-era lineup of Tortoise starts out soaring with a gorgeous “Gamera” and pretty much stays at a beautiful elevation for the rest of the show.