Currently a name to drop in fashionable music circles, Tortoise sensibly concentrate on their unique take on jazz rock on 'Standards'. The album opens up with what sounds like the end of a live rock track, crashing drums and cymbals give the indication that we have reached the climax of a 'rock classic'. Not so, teutonic keyboards kick in then what appears to be something disturbingly similar to clucking chickens. This is as subversive as music can possibly get really; almost anti-fashion if you will. Nevertheless the overall jazzy feel of the album features clever melodic twists a-plenty with the rhythm section in particular a delight to behold. To put it simply the good bits far outweigh the bad bits with noodling, tuneless keyboard solos giving way to a far more focused approach even though on initial listening it appears contrary and mildly diverting. Let's just hope they don't collaborate with Blur.