Alexander Tucker - Dorwytch

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4...according to our Business Lady on Thu 07 Apr, 2011.

Alexander Tucker returns with his debut LP for Thrill Jockey. Kinda confused as to why this isn't on ATP but it's probably an unimportant detail. The reason I mention it is because this is easily most Tucker's most ambitious work so far and clearly something the lads at ATP would be into. Anyway, Dorwytch sees Tucker taking his dramatic songwriting style to it's logical conclusion, wrapping it in layers of warm orchestral drone and topping it off with his boldest vocal arrangements yet. I don't remember Tucker's previous outings being as well executed but maybe I wasn't 'hearing' it (like Snipes), just 'listening' (like Harrelson). It's hard to draw obvious parallels but the first thing that comes to mind is that Tucker is the artist Lone Wolf could never be. Dorwytch is filled the same sense of high drama and intrigue but stylistically his approach is so much broader and his technique much more advanced. Dorwytch brings to mind the classic male singer/songwriters of the 60's/70's like Nick Drake, John Martyn, Leonard Cohen etc whilst also recalling the Canterbury folk-prog scene and elements of early Genesis when they used to write proper songs. Features sleeve art by Tucker himself (a better illustrator than musician in my humble opinion) and the LP comes with a free download. Can't say fairer than that.

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• ‘Dorwytch’ is the debut Thrill Jockey release from Londoner Alexander Tucker. Previous limited edition releases include releases on ATP Recordings.

• In addition to his solo work Tucker performs in the duo Imbogodom with New Zealand artist Daniel Beban. The duo released their debut album ‘The Metallic Year’ on Thrill Jockey last year.

• Tucker has also performed with Stephen O’Malley (Sunn O))), Khanate), Grumbling Fur, Jackie-O Motherfucker, Little Wet Horse, Mothlite and Duke Garwood.

• Tucker is an accomplished artist, having created artwork for the group Wolfmangler, contributing drawings to the Sturgeon White Moss comic and creating artwork for all of his own albums (including ‘Dorwytch’).

• CD version comes in a four panel mini-LP style gatefold package. LP version includes full colour inner sleeve and free download coupon.

• “... a psychedelic incandescence and enough drone currents to suggest that if you stripped away the layers you would find a sonorous ‘Om...’ running throughout” - The Wire.

• “Tucker sounds like he’s following a tradition that has long been neglected, focusing not on ageless songs and ideas but on ageless feelings captured through his droning miasma of acoustic guitar and mandolin” - Brainwashed.

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