MUSIC IN TWELVE PARTS
STEVE REICH
Reich had defined his method of composition, and began writing music via a process. He would phase shift live music by systematically moving identical layered lines out of sync with each other by determined time intervals. His process and choice of instrumentation (very often mallet instruments and woodwind) created a texture unheard before. Although many audiences may find the music repetetive and uninteresting, the pioneering drone effect created by Reich played a major influencve on the tone and overall sound of the math-rock which began to emerge in the late nineties. The influence is fairly pronounced on Don Cab's What Burns Never Returns. I'll allow Reich to play himself out:
PROG ROCK
That's right, without the likes of Zappa, King Crimson and Yes perhaps Math-Rock could never have evolved. I won't bore you with an in-depth history of progressive-rock, but I will explain the elements which particularly influenced the math-sound.
To begin with, let's establish that these bands are set up like math-rock bands. Driven by guitars and with an ear for experimentation. Experimentation was at the heart of the prog-rock movement. Bands began to experiment with audio effects, odd harmonies, wierd instrumentation and, of course, variations in meter. The latter was to influence the experimental for years to come.
Bands like King Crimson were writing classic rock songs but with a twist. Take for example Twenty First Century Schizoid Man. The tune begins with a big introduction, a riff played on distorted guitar with drum breaks and moves into a broken down verse led by vocals and so on. Very conventional. But the bridge errupts out of nowhere in six eight. Now six eight is not exactly adventurous, but this early prog-rock classic was the precursor to songs such as Blockhead and Keep It Greasy.
Another point I will quickly emphasise is the use of effects. Prog-Rock gave birth to an awful lot of epic sounding guitars and very odd vocal manipulation. I'm sure Battles are thankful for vocal effects as much as the next band.
JAZZ
The last major influence I will post on this page will be Jazz. The history of Jazz is far to long for me to bore you with, so again this will be a relatively short post outlining the specific influence on math rock. (You can find a comprehensive history of Jazz here http://www.allaboutjazz.com/timeline.htm).
Jazz was, and is, very much about progression. The amount of eras in Jazz alone is sufficient proof of this. Experimenting, developing and evolving all the time, Jazz influenced not just Math-Rock, but every popular genre. So what is it in particular Math-Bands borrow from Jazz?
To begin with, that guitar sound. I'm not talking Reinhardt (although Cheval De Frise may argue back) but Montgomery and Metheny. Less treble, little if no modulation and varying amounts of reverd and delay. It doesn't get better than a Strat on bridge pickup with tone at about 6 and an EQ of settings 8, 4, 7 (Bass, Treble and Middle respectively). It has become in itself a defining component of Math-Rock, although of course in such a broad genre not a neccesity.
Secondly, the use of the drum kit. There is no right or wrong way to drum Math-Rock, just as in Jazz. The beats don't have to fall where they are expected and so long as the beat sounds excellent, it is fine. Fuck convention. There are an increasing amount of break beat style drum patterns used in Math-Rock, but we still hear linear beats and ride driven swing feels.
Finally, meter. Take Five, enough said.
