Audiopile Review: Chicago-based duo Gastr Del Sol had an extraordinary avant rock pedigree. David Grubbs was a member of Squirrel Bait and Bastro before forming Gastr around 1993 to focus on the avoidance of anything vaguely resembling a rock cliché. He was soon joined by Jim O’Rourke, who was and continues to be… well, Jim O’Rourke. Together, they created a truly singular blend of acoustic fingerpicking, electro-acoustic tape music, hardcore minimalism, and abstract poetry. Gastr’s alignment with American post-rock probably had more to do with their locale and era than it did with the music itself. Grubbs and O’Rourke created some of the most original ‘rock’ music of the 90s. And they somehow managed to become gradually more accessible without ever seeming to compromise one iota. For evidence, look to their newly reissued 1998 swansong ‘Camofleur’. The album features an unsurprising plethora of Chicago scene luminaries, including Tortoise drummer John McEntire. But two secret weapons really take ‘Camofleur’ over the top. The first is Oval’s Markus Popp, providing his signature glitchy electronics. The second is an abandonment to pure melodic beauty. The cerebral lyrics and dissonant electronics work together marvellously, providing counterpoint to the absolute gorgeousness of choons like ‘Blue Subtitled No Sense of Wonder’ and ‘Mouth Canyon’. This is a group with something strange and wonderful that the mainstream will never co-opt. Gastr Del Sol remains timelessly enchanting and ‘Camofleur’ is the perfect entry point for the uninitiated.

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Gastr Del Sol combine country blues, avant garde, classical compostion, jazz, and pop into a blend that is utterly unique (and popular) in the marketplace today. Gastr Del Sol is the combined musical and compositional resource of Jim O’Rourke and David Grubbs. Camoufleur features the long awaited collaboration between O’Rourke, Grubbs, and Oval’s Markus Popp. There is no doubt of their musical ability or desirability anywhere on Earth.