I'm Not A Gun - We Think As Instruments

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 18 / 7 / 2006

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Literally speaking the album title is erratic: an instrument is not an object acting independently. It's the other way around; we can use instruments since we are able to think. Should we really 'think' like instruments, music would then sound dire and be utterly predictable. Okay, forget it; I Am Not A Gun is the peaceful duo of John Tejada, a master of loungy electronica, and snare master Takeshi Nishimoto. Their album generates a consistent flow from downbeat rhythms garnished with plenty of serene contributions from Nishimoto on bass, guitar and sarod - the sitar-like snare instrument from India. 'We Think As Instruments' is an enjoyable listen; harmless to the core as you might have expected from a duo by the name of I Am Not A Gun. The ten album track titles give away exactly what 'We Think As Instruments' is about: 'Soft Rain in the Spring'; 'Ripples in the Water'; 'Move'; 'Long Afternoon'; 'A Letter from the Past'; 'Rush Hour Traffic''; 'Unseen Moment'; 'Blue Garden'; 'As Far as Forever Goes' and ultimately 'Continuous Sky'. At times meditative and at times inspiring the tracks sound rather samey though, like variations on a theme. Hang me for saying so; 'We Think As Instruments' is jazz music, as much as it is the electronica music which you would have expected considering the credentials of the likes of Tejada and Nishimoto. The album's aspect pleasing me most is the epic style of the snare play and the sense of melody it forms. 'As Far as Forever Goes' even verges on acid rock with its throbbing outbursts; a very welcome change from the easy listening electronica patterns heard previously. Perhaps I'm just old and therefore have the attention span that of an LP listener; not that of a CD album listener. 'We Think As Instruments' is the kind of album that required the use of the pause button halfway through.

Track Listing:-

1 Soft Rain In The Spring
2 Ripples In The Water
3 Move
4 Long Afternoon
5 A Letter From The Past
6 Rush Hour Traffic
7 Unseen Moment
8 Blue Garden
9 As Far As Forever Goes
10 Continuous Sky

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