A Whirling Time Machine

There’s not a lot of symphony style music these days being put out on record. Much of the little that does is often relegated to the far off corners of labels like Erased Tapes and Flau, never to be heard by the larger public. In this way, Penguin Cafe Orchestra is rather similar, their masterful Union Cafe is not something one is likely to hear in a grocery store or on the radio. Those who manage to seek album out will be glad they did though, for the record is one of the most enjoyable pieces of orchestral music released in modern times.

By a quick glance at the cover, many would dismiss this album off the bat. This would be an egregious error on their part though, as the strange nature of the album art is hardly reflected in the music contained within. The first track “Scherzo and Trio” is a delightful melody, chock full of pianos and bass. It’s something that one might expect to hear walking down main street at Walt Disney World. The melody has hints of ragtime but largely is a bouncy jazz tune. The stand up bass is bowed and chugs back and forth in a foot tapping rhythm that turns the song from a time machine into a furious ear worm. The third track on the album “Nothing Really Blue” opts to take listeners to a quiet smoke filled jazz lounge. One can almost smell the cigarettes as their remnants cut trails through the dim blue light of the most exclusive jazz club in LA. The piano is played in a downtempo manner, with occasional flourishes, the bass is slowly plucked, creating a wholly relaxing experience for the listener. The most easily drawn comparison is actually that of the Vince Guaraldi Trio, whose delightfully low key Christmas tunes elevated the Peanuts Christmas Special into the territory of legend.

One of the outliers on the album is “Organum” which features what may be an accordion. The electronic sounding high pitched whining turns it into one of the most readily identifiable tracks on the record, though perhaps not the most enjoyable. Though even when the sound is grating the playing is masterful and engaging. The final track on the record “Passing Through” is largely comprised of water droplets. It makes for one of the strangest tracks on the album, but is a uniquely great closer. The droplets slowly whittle down into silence, leaving the listener occupied with a feeling of complete and utter bliss.

It’ll always be a shame that some genres don’t get their due. Some of the most innovative and exciting music is being made in dark corners and piano halls that few ever tread. Union Cafe is a truly exciting album that plays with the edges of expectations and creates an atmosphere that spans the most energetic spheres of ages past as well as the softest corners of the future of music, this album will always be ahead of it’s time and behind it. Penguin Cafe Orchestra wouldn’t have it any other way.