If you’ve read one of my reviews before, you might have noticed me mention both my age and my history with Contemporary Christian Music. I’m part of the last generation to pay any real attention to and lend any credence to the existence of album liner notes. Don’t get me wrong – such things still exist in any physical media created when a new album is released, but streaming gives us access to the songs without actually touching its packaging.
Not to go completely “old man” on you, but this is kind of a shame. I absolutely enjoy the benefits and perks of twenty-first streaming services, but I also miss pouring over the minutiae contained in those liner notes. Depending upon the artist or band, you could learn reams of information about the music, including, but not limited to, the following:
- The musicians
- The songwriters
- The producers
- The arrangers
- The instruments used
- The product sponsors
- The thank you notes
As a nerdy teenager who read anything and everything he could, albums were often a full-fledged cornucopia of information about my favorite acts. To my teenaged brain, it was a peek behind the scenes of the music industry, and to my burgeoning rock snob brain, it was a way to absorb raw data I could then lord over others who claimed to be “true” fans of a band.
While I have since moved on from such a myopic perspective on fandom, I owe a great debt to my endless hours of pouring over those liner notes. Because without them, I would have never learned about or been able to appreciate the drumming genius of Frank Lenz.
As the drummer for some of my favorite Christian alternative and indie bands, he literally created the backbone of much of the music I enjoyed in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. With his deft and jazz-inflected approach to drumming, Lenz’s contribution to acts like Pedro the Lion, Starflyer 59, Daniel Amos, and more helped form much of my musical identity. Specifically, it ushered me out of the bombastic approach to drumming as heard on my parents’ classic rock and ‘90s grunge of my teenaged years.
So, when I received a press release about a new project from Frank Lenz, I was instantly intrigued. I knew about some of his solo releases earlier in the decade, as well as his work on soundtracks and with Richard Swift, I didn’t know what to expect from him in 2020. Suffice to say, Pyramid is a stunning addition to this impeccable drummer’s oeuvre, and it makes me want even more from him.
While this six-song independent release is completely instrumental, it resonates with palpable life and kinetic energy. Not only is it reminiscent of synth-driven post-rock (but without any pointless noodling), but it possesses a keen pop edge that quickly captures and then keeps your attention throughout the album’s 24-minute run time. Lenz’s crisp acoustic drumming anchors the whole affair, which is essential as waves of electronic noise swirl, pitch, and weave intricate patterns. Those sounds are then complemented by complex arrangements of guitar effects, acoustic piano, horns, percussion implements, and more.
It’s easy to compare Pyramid to Lenz’s film work on projects like the Holy Rollers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, but a more fitting parallel would be to artists like Wendy Carlos, Glenn Kotche, and Nicolas Jaar. Think of it as rich, expansive psych-rock created by an auteur producer and instrumentalist, complete with glistening production and structured songwriting.
Each track on Pyramid has its own identity, even as they readily coalesce into a coherent whole. In fact, each one could be the focal point of its own album. For example, “Drumb Solo” pulses and seethes with ambient drones and brash cymbal crashes that would be at home on an electro-clash project. While on “Metatronix,” we hear the sort of crunchy guitars and syncopated drumming that wouldn’t be out of place on a record by The Cure or Portishead.
Then everything comes to a head on “Plenty Sex Teen Erection,” a tune that combines the sonic influences of Tama Impala with Caribou and Four Tet to spectacular results.
Through it all, Lenz’s amazing capabilities as a drummer serve as the rock-solid foundation and emotional core for the project. Pyramid moves both psych and electronic pop in new directions by showing that you can create compelling music without bowing to popular convention or indulging in needless excess.
And to think I first learned of the guy back when he played drums for Christian alt-rock bands on Tooth & Nail Records.