March 2001

Martin Tillman
Eastern Twin
Unitone

By Brian Soergel

Martin Tillman's Eastern Twin draws from the cellist's ambient-music leanings. Combine that with exotic, Far Eastern musical themes and pop sensibilities, and you've got a highly listenable CD. Take "Odessa," which puts Tillman's mysterious, languid acoustic cello out front over wailing guitar and a hypnotic beat. On "Nothing On My Mind" and "Close to Water" pop is the thing as Lisbeth Scott's dreamy vocals complement the music's incessant drive. Tillman manages to get some very weird-but in a good way-sounds from his electric cello, which adds to the overall mystique.