PINBACK, BUT CLASSIER.
Chris Prescott, formerly of one of my all time favourite bands Pinback, is uh, back, with a lot more people and a lot more instruments. With the help of other former Pinbackians, as well as a few others including two who appear to be family (Carl Prescott on many horns, Marjorie Prescott on cello) Chris is putting his studies in jazz drumming to good use with this new jazzy indie rock project called The Montalban Quintet.
They aren’t exactly what you’d expect to hear until you read up on Chris Prescott and his degree in Jazz Studies at UCSD. There is a faint hint of Pinback style near the beginning of the album but it mostly comes with the singing, which is sparse throughout the rest of the album. But hey, who needs vocals when you have so many instruments.
Instead of composing the rhythm out of syncopation they use more expected and on-beat phrasings of minimalist jazz to blend in with the indie rock, and even some classic rock like attributes.
And then there are the horns. **Flugaboner alert!**

I love Pinback, I love horns .. jazz fan or not I am already more than a little captivated by this album.

I received an email from the bands mailing list and I have basically convinced myself that it was one of the Pinback members who added me to it so that I can die happy knowing that I fell on their radar… be it the truth or not. I have lived with an intense Pinback obsession for as long as I can remember, relying on them to help me fall asleep each night I spent in a new apartment… so hearing this ever-so-relaxing new Pinback related product has me assured that I will sleep soundly once again.
Wait, I don’t mean they’re boring by that, just comforting. And pretty.
And probably wet dream-inspiring with all those horns.

The [ Montalban Quintet ] took me by surprise. Being familiar with the members’ other projects “ [ Pinback ] ~ [ No Knife ] ~ [ Boilermaker ] and others” I had certain expectations. It is really something else entirely. Of course, with this lineage of San Diego indie rock music there are traces of the regional sound, yet I have never heard anything quite like this. I absolutely love this album.
[ Montalban Quintet’s ] music is difficult to describe and impossible to categorize. In most cases horns have replaced the role of lead vocals and the vocals have taken the place of the horns. Strange and unexpected indeed. There is an interesting collage of sound including tape loops, various guitars, bass, drums, vibraphone, trumpet, saxophone, cello and an ethereal choir. Each section unfolds into the next as if the album is a continual piece of music.
There are elements of African music, minimalism, cinematic orchestral music, jazz and experimental rock. A combination that sounds like it might not work, yet it succeeds completely. [ Montalban Quintet’s ] debut album is a very strong release by a great new band. Perhaps the best thing you’ve never heard before… Check it out, you won’t be sorry.
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This self title includes the drummer from [ Pinback ] along with [ Kenseth Thibadeau ] and other members from past projects like [ No Knife ] and [ Sleeping People ]. Imagine the immediacy of Pinback, coupled with experimental jazz, great samples, and almost spaghetti western like influences. Check out the preview below “Feast Of The Manioc”.

– Mog’