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“Hall Of Fame continue to kick out the smoke with their fourth, giving spatial folk stylings a disturbed urban underpinning. the way they layer rondelays of slithering acoustic muzz and scarily genteel vocals is as killer as ever.”– Byron Coley/ Thurston Moore || Arthur Magazine “The notion that beautiful melodies and aggressive experimentation are mutually exclusive gets firmly quashed by nyc’s hall of fame.” – Time Out NY “The band can drone and create tension as well as play a pretty tune, lending a bit of eclecticism to the affair” – Zum Magazine Hall Of Fame is a trio out of NYC comprised of Samara Lubelski, Dan Brown & Theo Angel. Paradise Now is the fourth full length album since their inception in 1998. Though hinted at on their previous Silt Breeze effort; this record is not so much a departure from their trademark psychedelic excursions as much as it is a push forward, bringing their sound into a much more fully realized dynamic. Recording at the famed Rare Book Room in Brooklyn, where Samara moonlights as an engineer, allowed the trio to take their compositions further into the ether; coaxing the finer elements of their folk-avant garde nature to play nice with their ability to pen fully realized compositions. Carefully sculpting not only the inherent dynamics of the compositions but also drawing every audible element into the fold whether it be a slow drawn violin scrap, fluttering percussion, or the bellowing echo of a vintage Ampeg Amplifier; this record exemplifies the kind of precision and subtle craftsmanship that is very much the by product of artistic vision. Though this record is more approachable than previous efforts the trio are by no means strangers in the realm of avant-garde Members of Hall Of Fame have collaborated with the likes of Jackie O-Motherfucker, Tower Recordings, Tara Jane O’Neil, Thalia Zedak, Salmon Skin, David Grubbs, Tony Conrad…the list goes on and on. In addition to their work as Hall Of Fame the three have independently released solo efforts (percussion records, violin experimentations, prepared guitar explorations), shot experimental films, produced studio recordings of other like-minded musicians (Sightings, Double Leopards & Firey Furnaces), made documentary films and ventured into just about every other creative foray you could imagine. Given a thorough listen you will find devices at work which people just don’t know how to use anymore (and we’re not talking mellotrons). Each of these tracks is carefully written, recorded, mixed, edited and sequenced to carry you though from the opening note to the final reprise; not so much a collection of songs as a cohessive work on a much larger scale. With this album they have moved into a new realm and are beckoning for you to join them, and you will. |