Passages

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Maserati play methodical, well thought out, and percussion-driven instrumental music, described by some as post-rock. I saw Maserati play in Portland earlier this year when they opened for the majestic MONO, one of my favorite bands of all time, also on the Temporary Residence label. I remember being impressed with Maserati’s tight and together live performance, and in particular, was impressed with the talented drummer, who seemed to drive the performance.

Out of eight songs on Maserati’s new Passages album, only two are new tracks. The others are remixes or songs from a split LP with the band Zombi that is now out of print. I know that some people probably don’t see much of a point in putting out a new album for what are mostly old songs and I would usually tend to agree. Not having the other albums from which most of these songs were gleaned however, everything was new to my ears and I am enjoying this album. The song “Monoliths,” one of the previously unreleased tracks, is particularly intriguing and ear-catching.

The structure of the songs is so steady and intentional that it can feel as if there are no climaxes and that the songs never really end, leaving the listener slightly unsatisfied. At points, the tracks can seem repetitive, particularly rhythmically, leaving the songs to blur together. Listening to Maserati makes me feel kind of frantic in a very logical way. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I do feel like the album is missing something I can’t quite put my finger on.

Written by: Liz Simmons, January 7th 2010

Inventions for the New Season

admin — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:15:00 +0000

By Maserati

Temporary Residence

For the last decade Athens, Georgia has been a hotbed for bands that stray away from highly stylized music in favor of showcasing their art outside the boundaries of conformity. The psychedelic instrumentalists in Maserati exemplify this mindset with a unique brand of music they call “Pink Floyd for hipsters” and “stoner rock for the working man.” Seven years since their conception, the quartet who bucks the idea of having a vocalist, is back on the scene with a new full length album, Inventions for the New Season, released in the states on Temporary Residence.

Chock full of beat-heavy instrumentals, Inventions comes across as highly experimental without being overtly eclectic. To highlight one specific track on Inventions would underestimate its assumed purpose, as this concept album invokes an elevated emotional state that’s best attained by listening from start to finish. Maserati uses basic instrumentation (guitars, drums, bass) in place of the bells and whistles incorporated into most of today’s production to create lengthy songs (often 7-9 minutes) that are fundamentally primitive. While Inventions might not make it into your iPod playlist for your commute to work, it is a “place and purpose” album that very well may provide the soundtrack to your next house party or substance-induced journey.

Written by: Claire Ashton, August 1st 2007