Search - Krakatoa :: We Are the Rowboats

We Are The Rowboats

rclamitans | Lima, OH United States | 03/16/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Krakatoa play instrumental music that defies easy categorization, mixing electronic and acoustic instruments and classical, jazz, and rock forms. I have even seen them described as "avante-garage". On the album We Are The Rowboats, the use of violin and piano especially make Krakatoa stand out, and they sometimes seem to invoke early Curved Air or the jazz-fusion of Frank Zappa (or even the experiments of the first Electric Light Orchestra album). Few other modern groups make comparable music. Similar to certain progressive rock bands of the past like Gentle Giant, each group member capably plays many different instruments on different pieces. However, unlike Gentle Giant or Curved Air, this is not vocalist-driven music. Most pieces are quick romps (sometimes almost manic) through several different musical themes. This makes for interesting listening, but sometimes I found myself hoping for more development. Most pieces are melodic and playful, which distinguishes Krakatoa from other modern instrumental bands with a more heavy or oppressive edge (such as Happy Family who have a similar manic approach to their music). Standout tracks are Spiral Dive, Telegraph, Naked Congress, Orange Whistle, Covered Bridges, and Rotor Blade."