With their recent comeback, Tortoise reminded us that post-rock came before the emotional rollercoaster rides of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Co. relied on consistency instead of grand gestures. Pullman, a Chicago post-rock supergroup with members of Tortoise and Come, among others, do all the more.
III is their first album in 24 years, but seamlessly follows the acoustic sound of the two bands, enriched with Americana elements. Accordingly, this album is quiet; this music – at least originally – was never about loud sounds.
Doug McCombs, Bundy K. Brown, Chris Brokaw, Curtis Harvey and Tim Barnes carefully weave different sound textures together for 47 seconds or 13 ½ minutes – without a goal and yet with a lot of joy. Even when a guitar hits psychedelic tones, it sounds undramatic and never self-promotional. III always hovers just below the threshold of perception – perfect for open ears and rainy Sundays.
This review appears in Musikexpress 2/2026.
