PULLMAN - III

Six tracks for just thirty-five minutes: that's how the return of Douglas McComb's (of Tortoise) side project presents itself, shared with Bundy K Brown (ex-Tortoise), Curtis Harvey (Rex), Chris Brokaw (Come) and Tim Barnes over the span of four years (1997-2001) and just two albums.

Pullman's new project, "III", is however more than a simple rentrée for the supergroup, which distinguished itself by forcefully introducing the technical and evocative graces of fingerpicking and ambient-folk into the fabric of post-rock. Tim Barnes's health condition (a galloping Alzheimer's) and an intense exchange of ideas with Bundy K Brown convinced the rest of the band that it was the right time for a new chapter on record.

"III" dusts off all the distinctive traits of Pullman's sound, once again favoring acoustic settings only conceptually akin to Chicago post-rock, filtering through electronics a series of sonic innovations that merge into a layered, refined amalgam where spontaneity and precision coexist. The calibrated yet guitar-driven thrust of "October", the slight alterations of the ambient settings of "Weightless" and the emotional intensity of the barely 46 seconds of "Valence" (initially titled "Killing Time") are enough to file Pullman's return as a noteworthy release.

Despite having been recorded without any physical interaction between the band members, "III" has lost neither the energy ("Bray") nor the imaginative power ("Kabul") of the two albums released in 1998 and 2001, and while adding nothing new, it contributes to that rebirth of the Chicago post-rock scene which Tortoise's latest album has made not only evident, but also quite singular.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

20/01/2026