Like their moniker suggests, Tortoise wield a thick exterior of styles while the essence of their sound smoothly beats on. They brazenly titled their latest endeavor TNT as if to signal a break from their former shell. But don"t be deceived by explosive associations, for the acronym is meant to stand for "Tough-N-Tender." The album displays a tenacious level of technical proficiency and creative divergence from five Chicago guys doing what they love. Tortoise avoids the experimental minimalism displayed on earlier releases in favor of a more accessible and upbeat turn of the collective dial. Rooted in jazz structures, the dripping electronic treatments on most of the tracks further distinguish the sound. Because the thematic expressions jive with unassuming clarity, no vocal or lyrical elements are needed nor occur. While darker sides of psychedelic guitar emerge, the loungy low end sections evoke intrepid fantasies of isolation on the swankiest of desert islands. --Lucas Hilbert