Guano Padano immediately kicks things into high gear on 2 with The Last Night. This introductory track sets the stage for what the band will create on the later registers of the album. There is a significant amount of cohesion from this initial track to Zebulon. After getting everyone interested, One Man Bank showcases a Guano Padano that can create something that is earthy and utterly distinct. The act frames the efforts of 2 in a Western / Asian dichotomy.
I feel that Zebulon and mid-disc effort Bellavista speak volumes to the Western conception, while the later efforts (Miss Chan and Un Occhio Verso Tokyo) seem to push back towards the other extreme. The last of these tracks is important as it ties together these two disparate elements. The near eight-minute runtime of Un Occhio Verso Tokyo provide a united front which Sleep Walk (the disc’s final effort) can build off of. While each of these tracks should be played in a linear fashion, the virtuosity of the band allows for individual efforts (One Man Bank, El Cayote) to shine no matter in which context one enjoys them.
Guano Padano 2 also includes a Mike Patton feature (Prairie Fire) on this title. Make sure to buy a copy from your local independent music shop, and see whether they come over to our side of the world any time soon. Ipecac is releasing other titles through the end of the year; give their website a spin and see exactly what is going to be dropped.
Top Tracks: One Man Bank, Miss Chan
Rating: 8.7/10
Guano Padano 2 (CD) / 2012 Ipecac Recordings / 13 Songs / http://www.guanopadano.com/ / http://www.ipecac.com