Since making his solo debut in 2008, Hella drummer Zach Hill has kept busy with an endless string of collaborations, including Alan Moore's multimedia project, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's band, Marnie Stern's new album and a brief stint in Wavves. Now, the tireless Hill has unveiled his sophomore solo effort, Face Tat, which is due out October 19 via Sargent House.
In keeping with Hill's love of collaborations, the album features high-profile guest appearances from the likes of Devendra Banhart, No Age, Deerhoof's Greg Saunier, Guillermo Scott Herren (aka Prefuse 73) and former Hella bandmate Carson McWhirter.
In a written statement, Hill explained that the album title was inspired by an article that claimed that people with facial tattoos are more likely to commit suicide than those without. He said, "I have friends with facial tattoos who are some of the most positive people I know, and have friends and family without facial tattoos that have taken their own lives within this past year. I found that idea very interesting and metaphorical on many levels - whether true or not - and began using my personal thoughts on this as a muse/concept that could be applied to many different contexts."
As for the music, he offered this colourful description: "There's an emphasis on experimenting with 'destroying' sounds so that the source of the melody, rhythms, vocals, etc. is not recognizable or traceable, and then building these things into abstract forms of pop music with conventional structures. Some of the most melodic aspects to this recording are coming from things like the sound of pissing/urinating on a stack of Rolling Stone magazines (I have a subscription), kicking in the screen of a computer, arguments on the street, etc."
Interesting. We especially enjoy his clarification that the album will contain both pissing and urinating.
The lyrics, Hill explained, "started from me writing down a lot of out-of-context sentences I'd hear in passing or from personal exchanges that I found really visual, stimulating or to which I felt a connection."
You can see Face Tat's fiery album cover above and the tracklist below. Pick up a free download of the single "Memo to the Man" here.
Face Tat:
1. "Memo to the Man"
2. "The Primitives Talk"
3. "Ex-Ravers"
4. "The Sacto Smile"
5. "Green Bricks"
6. "House of Hits"
7. "Jackers"
8. "Burner in the Video"
9. "Dizzy From the Twins"
10. "Gross Sales"
11. "Total Recall"
12. "Face Tat"
13. "Second Life"
In keeping with Hill's love of collaborations, the album features high-profile guest appearances from the likes of Devendra Banhart, No Age, Deerhoof's Greg Saunier, Guillermo Scott Herren (aka Prefuse 73) and former Hella bandmate Carson McWhirter.
In a written statement, Hill explained that the album title was inspired by an article that claimed that people with facial tattoos are more likely to commit suicide than those without. He said, "I have friends with facial tattoos who are some of the most positive people I know, and have friends and family without facial tattoos that have taken their own lives within this past year. I found that idea very interesting and metaphorical on many levels - whether true or not - and began using my personal thoughts on this as a muse/concept that could be applied to many different contexts."
As for the music, he offered this colourful description: "There's an emphasis on experimenting with 'destroying' sounds so that the source of the melody, rhythms, vocals, etc. is not recognizable or traceable, and then building these things into abstract forms of pop music with conventional structures. Some of the most melodic aspects to this recording are coming from things like the sound of pissing/urinating on a stack of Rolling Stone magazines (I have a subscription), kicking in the screen of a computer, arguments on the street, etc."
Interesting. We especially enjoy his clarification that the album will contain both pissing and urinating.
The lyrics, Hill explained, "started from me writing down a lot of out-of-context sentences I'd hear in passing or from personal exchanges that I found really visual, stimulating or to which I felt a connection."
You can see Face Tat's fiery album cover above and the tracklist below. Pick up a free download of the single "Memo to the Man" here.
Face Tat:
1. "Memo to the Man"
2. "The Primitives Talk"
3. "Ex-Ravers"
4. "The Sacto Smile"
5. "Green Bricks"
6. "House of Hits"
7. "Jackers"
8. "Burner in the Video"
9. "Dizzy From the Twins"
10. "Gross Sales"
11. "Total Recall"
12. "Face Tat"
13. "Second Life"
