Experimental-semi-acoustic-rock-influenced techno. How many bands just came to mind when you read that? You’d be lucky if one or two came up, but that’s the only real genre that the Blue Man Group could be placed in. Their Debut album “Audio,” placed them solidly in the hearts of any fan of good music.
Stemming originally from a stage show that toured, for the most part, in New York City, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Boston, the Blue Man Group was actually formed long before their first CD was ever even conceived. However, when the media got a hold of them after their long line of Pentium commercials they released a CD.
The Blue Man Group consists of three main members, Phil Stanton, Chris Wink, and Matt Goldman, who each play such a plethora of instruments that there really isn’t any point in listing them all. However, at the time of this CD’s release the band consists of something closer to 20 members, all playing instruments ranging from the Chapman Stick, to basic electric guitar and bass, drums, even a toy dog and dumpster are used as instruments.
But perhaps the lead three instruments that truly make the BMG stand out are their instruments fashioned from the common household plumbing material, PVC. They fashioned three instruments using this, referring to the instruments as the Drumbone, a long pipe that slides in and out, much like a trombone, the PVC instrument, which consists of a long, snaking, tube setup that ranges a full three octaves, and the tubulum, which is much like the PVC instrument, except that the tubes are straight, creating a slightly different sound quality.
Throughout the CD there are no vocals, this entire album completely consists of instrumental pieces. Sometimes this can turn someone away from a band, but there is so much difference between the pieces that you wont get bored with the CD halfway through. The musicianship within the band in spectacular too, there are extensive try-outs to join the band, so only the best musicians available are selected.
Over all this is one of the most fantastic CDs in my collection. I can recommend this one for anyone who wants to hear something different, something that no other band can achieve with their sound. If you like music, buy this now. In fact, buy two copies, so that if one messes up from being played so much, you have a fall-back.
