Tommy Guerrero - 'Soul Food Taqueria' (Mo Wax)
3/5
By: Toby L
When 'music' just seems to be another notch on the bedpost for multi-talented ex-skateboarder and part-time artist Tommy Guerrero, initially, you're entitled to a reservation or two.
But that's before hearing the creation, surely. Guerrero, over the past few years, has become a bit of a maestro at this whole songwriting and releasing lark. Sculpting and moulding a live instrumental sound that's not a universe away from the Chicago-rampant scene of self-produced, loungey/hip-hop crossover acts, TG's work evokes the warm playfulness of Tortoise whilst manifesting the firm focus on Four Tet-layered percussion and enveloping rhythmic-structures. All pretty much instrumental, of course, and solely an acquired taste. And, admirably, caught ostentatiously on a mere four-track.
'Soul Food Taqueria' is his latest batch of work, seventeen lo-fi nuggets of gently spiralling moods, resonating an overall distinctly tepid and layered modicum of film-soundtrack worthy scene-bites. Comedically, it's about as riotously alert as a run-over badger, but as a partially sleazy place in prior-to-sleeping headphones-land, it could resolve itself as a mightily inviting and aiding consciousness-slipper.
Particularly excelling in the bass-groove stakes - a sharp thrust of 'Terra Unifirma' should prove a mildly clichιd, pleasing lady-magnet, coupled with an uncrumpled, flashy suit for full third-grade, porno-star effect - though a contribution from Blackalicious luminary Lyrics Born certainly conjures a playful side-plate garnish of smooth soul just when it counts. 'It Gets Heavy', meanwhile - the first track to break the mould of the consignment by featuring vocals - is a wistful, reverberating playground of cyclic (e)motions and escalating guitar-shivers, an aloof 'Falling Awake' quite possibly the best antidote to a post-party come-down ever ending the collection.
Not so much vigorously pushing the boundaries as sleepily shifting them when he has a spare five minutes, Guerrero's work may occasionally tread the patch commonly swerved for credibility-stakes - sheer, self-seeking indulgence - but at least an art is being mustered that truly lays claim to suit his robustly creative and time-consuming personality. For the most part, it makes for blissful company.
Artists in this article: Tommy Guerrero
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