Zach Hill

There's really no mistaking Zach Hill. If you've seen the drummer extraordinaire in concert or heard him on CD, your thought process probably follows, "Who the hell is this guy?" Once you learn his name, you ask, "Is he a man or a machine?"

Hill officially and clearly identifies himself as part of the human race on his solo album Astrological Straits. Robed in Hill's cloak of hazy space rock, the disc's thirteen tracks explode on impact. The snaky opener "Iambric Strays" convinces the listener that the walls are moving, while "Toll Road" recalls the ghost of John Lennon.

Perhaps, classifying these songs as "experiences" rather than "music" would be more fitting. If you're familiar with Hill's previous work in Hella and Team Sleep, you know that the drummer's sense of rhythm is unconventional and unpredictable. Astrological Straits, written and performed almost exclusively by Hill, sounds just as eccentric and excellent as his work with those other acts does.

Astrological Straits is quite a carnival ride, and Hill invited his friends along for the fun. Most notably are Les Claypool and Chino Moreno of Deftones. Both follow Hill's lead like the Lost Boys of Neverland. For evidence, listen to Moreno's pained howl buried under a wall of sonic textures and whacked-out beats on "Keep Calm and Carry On." The guest contributors get drunk on Hill's brand of kool-aid, never compromising the album's signature style.

You're not going to hear Astrological Straits on the radio–it's too good for that. Strap in and blast off.

—Frank Gatto
08.25.08