Friends of Dean Martinez
Retrograde
Sub Pop, 1932 First Ave., Seattle WA 98101
Release Date: June 24, 1997
Friends of Dean Martinez got it backwards. Retrograde, the latest from steel guitarist Bill Elm & his band of merry men, is a lush, skillful soundtrack. Whole scenes play out in a few bars; characters dart in and out among the notes, pausing just long enough for you to catch a clear glimpse.
Only problem is, the movie hasn't been made yet. It's a shame, too, because if Retrograde is any indication, it could be a blockbuster. Or at least, a snazzy art film. (Its hard to tell the difference these days). Retrograde-The-Movie is a Western. And a road movie. And a gangster flick. Sort of like "Usual Suspects" meets "Thelma and Louise" meets "Zorro," with a Chris Isaak video thrown in for good measure.
Lazy listeners run for their smoking jackets and cocktail shakers at the first smattering of organ notes. But FODM shares more with the hazy atmospherics of guitar icon Ry Cooder than the smooth slack of labelmates Combustible Edison. Elm's steel guitar -- sweet, plaintive, or dark and menacing -- defines the band's sound; the rest is more the lime in the beer than the olive in the martini.
The songs don't even have any lyrics. But the music is such a pure distillation of plot and character that it doesn't matter. Sit down, put the disc on and write your own damn movie.
-- Lindy Powell
powell@outersound.com
