Tin Hat

Tin Hat: The Sad Machinery of Spring

by Kurt Gottschalk
March 9, 2007

The fact that Tin Hat is no longer a trio and that founding member Rob Burger left the group in 2004 shouldn't be such a jolt. The band has always expanded and shape-shifted, working with such guests as Tom Waits and Willie Nelson on previous records. But for their fifth release, they've formally dropped the “trio from their name and added multi-instrumentalist Ara Anderson, clarinetist Ben Goldberg and harpist Zeena Parkins to the lineup, all of whom contribute compositions.

Tin Hat: The Sad Machinery of Spring

by Matt Cibula
March 4, 2007

Just about everyone who's been following the band formerly known as the Tin Hat Trio has been excited about this album. We all wanted to know how Mark Orton and Carla Kihlstedt would carry on after co-founder Rob Burger flew the coop. Turned out the answer was “Expand and beef up."

Clarinet madman Ben Goldberg had one of last year's best records (The Door, the Hat, the Chair, the Fact); harpist Zeena Parkins has played with freaky folks like Fred ...