Attention artists: packaging is important. The visual images and
materials you choose to associate with your music can be paramount to
the attitude of your listeners when deciding whether to buy or even
listen to what you have created. Sure, the internet has provided a
powerful argument suggesting the downfall of physical packaging. To me
it is just wake up call to artists and labels alike: step it up! (but
not like the movie of the same name.) I would like to provide you with
two contrasting examples. First, Kurt Weisman. Weisman’s debut solo
album, Spiritual Sci-Fi, is without a doubt my favourite
singer-songwriter album of the year and will most certainly be on my
top ten list next week when we post our year ends for 2008. The cover
of Spiritual Sci-Fi; however, is terrible. Like, laughably
terrible. I apologize to Weisman if there is some personal resonance
associated with the illustration that dawns the cover of his record,
but seriously, it is humorous at the most. So terrible is this album
art that, despite my consistent and unequivocal ravings concerning the
genius of the record, Sassigrass (my FG cohort/spouse) will not touch
the thing with a twelve foot poll. I’m not sure if she listened to it
that she would like it as much as me, but now she will never even have
the chance because she can’t get over that ridiculous cover. Now for my
second example and true subject of this review, Silent Land Time
Machine’s &Hope Still. This album was sent to me by the
wonderful folks at Indian Queen who co-opted with Time-Lag on the
packaging and it is stunning. Here at FG we receive a fair amount of
promos. Some more visually attractive than others, but none that have
held my attention so singularly as &Hope Still. I simply
had to hear what kind of music could be associated with the luxurious
cotton sleeve folded inside a sepia-toned outer cardstock fold filled
with various abstracted images. I could go into more detail, but I
don’t have the packaging on hand as I’m writing this (at my other job
that actually pays real money). Suffice it to say that it was the
quickest that I have ever desired to listen to a promo and the most
excited as well. I guess the second thing to announce to artists is
this: make good music. Novel, huh? Well, fortunately for me, the
packaging of &Hope Still was an absolute spot on visual/physical introduction to the music of Silent Land Time Machine. &Hope Still
is all shades sepia via sound. Built on layers of acoustic
instrumentation combined with various audio ghosts and samples, Silent
Land Time Machine is a chamber folk orchestra of beautiful
construction. Similarly wonderful, is the fact that this “orchestra”
has been constructed with only two hands. It is another nod to an era
filled with individual artists achieving wonderful ends by their own
unique vision. &Hope Still is a vigorous, winding
adventure, a ghostly post-rock mystery and a wonderful summer day
wrapped into one beautiful package; one most definitely worth obtaining
a physical copy of!

-Mr. Thistle of Forest Gospel


At times mysterious, at times complex, but always relaxing, even during its climaxing moments, Silent Land Time Machine is an instrumental rock project that reminds me a lot of A Silver Mt Zion. Except that... Jon is just one man... But upon your first listen you wouldn't know it... Hailing out of Austin, Texas, Jon is a multi-instrumentalist, and is equally comfortable behind the guitar, piano, accordion, and a wide range of stringed instruments. His motivation to master the musical medium and inspirations are credited to Anni Rossi (recently signed to 4AD) and Sophie Trudeau (member of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and a co-founder of Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band), as well as much other output from Constellation and FatCat labels. Jon mangles instrumentals, DSP filtering, and field recordings which create a feeling of a small folksy community gathering, improvising over familiar melodies. The mood of &hope still, is less apocalyptic and political then the above mentioned influences, leaving a lot more room for imagination of the listener. Although some of the sounds appear to be looped, the patterns are not obsessively repetitive and are very organic. Jon takes great care in overdubbing layers and layers of live instrumentation to create his unique blend of post-americana-psyminimal-desktop-folktronica. Yes. I like that for a genre. The debut album has been released this past October, 2008, as a collaborative effort between Time-Lag Records and Jon's very own Indian Queen Records. Recommended if you like experimental pieces from M83, Mogwai, Benoît Pioulard, and Múm. - headphone commute

An obscure, one-man recording project, Silent Land Time Machine thrives in the realm of escapism. The local artist crafts deeply affecting dream narratives, weaving layers of violin, acoustic guitar, and found sound into warm, ambient instrumentals that slowly accumulate force. Self-recorded over the past year and pressed on limited edition, 180-gram vinyl, SLTM's debut, & Hope Still, which was released in partnership with Maine's Time-Lag Records, recalls the hazy bedroom folk of Benoit Pioulard, the Books' looped electro-acoustic pieces, and the minimalist drone of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. 'It's all very vague,' concedes Silent Land Time Machine, who speaks only on the condition of anonymity but emerges from the shadows at the Parish on Dec. 4 with classically minded contemporaries Balmorhea. 'I want to remove myself from the picture as much as possible to help create a really personal listening experience.' - the austin chronicle

The inaugural album of Austin's Silent Land Time Machine has finally arrived after at least a year of waiting, & Hope Still… - co-produced under Time-Lag Records (in Maine) and SLTM's own Indian Queen Records - does not disappoint. At all. Fueled by a cadre of instruments and energy, a unique and fulfilling sound permeates the entire album and allows for a range of emotions across its 7 largely instrumental tracks. It's an aural document as fascinating as the sepia dripping artwork in which the cd is enclosed.

The album launches with a high-energy, polyphonic locomotive in 'Everything Goes to Shit.' With a somber and pensive melody, it is difficult to imagine the song - which is filled with a beautiful and at times cacophonous assortment of accordion, slide guitar, and viola - come from only one man. Looping like a masterful acrobat, SLTM layers melodies until they're swerving into one another, but never loses the tight focus of the bottom line. The second song, 'I Shouldn't be in School,' winds behind multiple violin tracks with an impressive force on par with My Education, while the third, aptly titled 'The Thing This Doesn't Mean Is Nothing,' wharfs a wash of soft ambience and serendipitous sound that ebbs and flows through a 10 minute flood.

Track 5, 'Electronic Transmission(s)'continues the melodic energy of the opener with an honest and electronic driving force, and 'Down the Hill' slowly mesmerizing in an unfolding tumble. While his warp of strings can sometimes become dizzying and his effects peddles often get more play than his notes, as on moments of the over 13 minute closer, 'Copperpot Topography,' SLTM compellingly draws the listener into his vision and continually surprises upon each listen.

Though SLTM is a one-man, self-taught orchestra, he weaves an eloquent musical vocabulary that shows as much promise as some of Austin's best instrumental acts – the subtle beauty of Balmorhea and the eclectic sweep of The Calm Blue Sea and experimental flourishes of My Education . Though & Hope Still… is a wonderful tapestry in itself, SLTM also shines during his performances - no two of which are ever alike. To quote Aurgasm, an mp3 blog on which SLTM was featured last summer: 'Nostalgic polaroids flip while your odometer flips forward.'- austin sound


This record left our Phil feeling happy.
It's good to know Time Lag are still going. It's a dependable label and if you're into psychdelic folk music then you should check out the labels back cat. Some choice nuggets there. Just in from the label is a brand new LP/CD by Silent Land Time Machine called & Hope Still. It sounds pretty lush on first listen. Lots of different instruments on here.... violin, acoustic guitar, percussion, accordian, and some found samples all chucked together into a large earthenware pot of psyche folk fun. It's largely instrumental except the odd haunting vocal here and there and it's all a bit nice. It's a wierd blend of americana, neo classical instrumentation and psyche folk and gels nicely. The multi instrumental fun here reminds a bit of Sufjan Stevens at times (without the vocals and whimsy and a bit of A Silver Mt Zion. Ltd to 300 copies on 180 gram wax and on CD as well. - Norman Records

Silent Land Time Machine is a one man project from Texas (Indian Queen being his label). Gently lysergic pastoral chamber psych sculpted from sweet strings, acoustic guitar, unobtrusive electronics, percussion and buried vocals. The sound merges into a gorgeous haze that evokes late summer evenings. Heavy vinyl (for the LP) with a fold out cover and insert. - boa melody bar