While in Paris, I came across an apparently new release from Idaho, a band that I've quietly loved (certain albums: "Levitate", "Hearts of Palm") for a few years now, and have been waiting just as long for new material from, and a live performance - a suddenly announced fall show 3 years ago was cancelled when they were stopped at the border.

Needless to say, I picked "The Lone Gunman" up. I can't seem to find news of this on the Idaho site, and notice on the CD that it is "under exclusive license to Talitres Records" out of Bordeaux, France. So, it seems that one of the most quietly celebrated bands that I know have snuck a new one to us, but only in France. Hopefully, it will make its rounds.

I quite like it. Very colourful and full arrangements. Gets a little overly sentimental at times, and Jeff Martin resorts to a lot of the same trickery: reversed guitar, oohs and ahhs. But overally I'm really satisfied by it.

Anyone else somehow come across it? Anyone else interested?

From the Talitres website, actually a pretty good synapsis of the album: http://www.talitres.com/idaho_e.htm

About: The Lone Gunman: Jeff Martin of IDAHO has never been known to be a political animal. No, on the contrary, he's a recluse. He has practically made a career out of writing hyper personal songs of an inner life. Absent for now are the four-string guitars, they have been traded in for a Wurlitzer, an old Prophet 5 and a collection of pianos.


While the way he writes may not have changed, his personal landscape is shifting along with the worlds. Rigged elections, "Peak oil", Nine Eleven, and wars on resource rich nations - it's a lot to think about for one guy just trying to make a record in his living room. Martin emerges from behind this cinema screen of paranoia and distrust to put out a record filled with conspiratorial allusions, though, with a wink and a smile, and a polka.


Part songs, part soundtrack, Martin travels deeper into his film score sensibilities. Occasionally "ambient rock", it is mostly on these instrumental tracks that he finds inspiration from ideas surrounding "peak oil", surveillance programs or secret military installations, but in an elegantly cartoonish way.


At times Jeff displays a playful early Eno-like absurdity such as When Sunday Comes or You Flew and at other times is just happy to be in the moment. But it's a life set against a background of darker flavors on other tracks like Live today again and The Mystery. It is through this mixture of lighter moments and drifting shadows where we find his silver-lining filled peyote dream pop. With The Lone Gunman, Martin shows his unique talent for a timeless somber beauty.


The Lone Gunman is Idaho's 10th full-length release. Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound NYC

I knew something was coming out, but I didn't realize that it had already been released. Thanks for posting this.

I'd love to hear that. One of my best friends is a huge huge fan of them (one of his top 5 favs) so he'd probably be psyched to hear that.

It's definitely worth a purchase.

...and now it's on emusic.