Daniel Crommie is a new name to me, but it looks like he is quite a prolific and seasoned musician, as he has been involved in a wide array of projects dating all the way back to the late seventies'. DC Sound Collective is Crommie's platform for collaborating with musicians other than his usual bandmates, and Rotation is the project's second observation, following 2011's Direct Current. Although I cannot yet say how Rotation fits within Crommie's vast discography, it's an enjoyable listen in spite of a few noticeable setbacks.
DC Sound Collective explores a pretty vast array of sounds on Rotation, ranging anywhere from folky progressive rock as heard on "Riff Raff" to laid back and jazzy jams on "Panorama Drive" and "A Jungle of Apparitions", or even sonic ambient explorations on the mammoth "Calm Before The Storm". Rotation doesn't stay in one place for too long, and while this is certainly a positive thing, a few facets of its sound are more successful than others. A noteworthy example lies in the use of Daniel Crommie's vocals, which (to me, at least) sound rather lifeless and uninspired; although they aren't used frequently enough to diminish the experience, Rotation shines its brightest when it explores instrumental ambient or jazz-inspired soundscapes.
Rotation also suffers from a production that doesn't sound fully professional, as well as the absence of a 'real' drummer, so I get the impression that the album has a fair amount of untapped potential in its current form. As it stands, the sophomore observation from DC Sound Collective is an enjoyable listen, but it's not something that I would label as essential listening material.
Track Listing:
1. Riff Raff
2. Trash Can Sam
3. Panorama Drive
4. City of Industry (Departure)
5. A Jungle of Apparitions
6. No Room to Dream
7. Throwing Bones
8. Calm Before the Storm
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
