Cul De Sac

Cul de Sac has been described as "post-rock," a vague category for bands typically uncategorizable. Cul de Sac weaves instrumental trances around guitarist Glenn Jones' finger picked stylings that recall surf, Middle Eastern, or folk music. He also plays "the contraption," a Hawaiian lap-steel-guitar laden with effects pedals and played with kitchen utensils. Synthesist Robin Amos produces distinctive sounds by playing instruments he created himself; his electronic sounds are musical, not a distracting novelty as can sometimes happen in similar situations. Bassist Michael Bloom and drummer Jon Proudman provide a rock-solid yet melodic anchor for the band. All four are virtuoso yet sympathetic musicians – none of them hog the spotlight. Crashes to Light Minutes to Its Fall, the band's fifth album, finds Cul de Sac at its most confident and lyrical. The music is complex and cerebral, yet playful and accessible. This is mind-expanding music of the friendliest sort.