French duo Air’s 2004 album Talkie Walkie was one of my favorite releases of that year, and they spent the time between that and their new album, Pocket Symphony, working on other projects such as a good solo album for Jean-Benoit Dunckel and producing an ever better album for French singer/actress Charlotte Gainsbourg. So why am I not more excited about Pocket Symphony, the group’s fifth album?
Instrumental “Space Maker” is all lovely acoustic guitar over faraway percussion smooth and distorted synths and a dose of piano. “Once Upon a Time” is distorted percussion over repetitive tinkling piano. Groovy “Napalm Love” is repetitive piano chords over distorted synths and other repetitive keyboard effects. These three songs that open the album are all good, but none are standouts. “Redhead Girl” falls along those lines too—nice, but just not memorable.
Other songs are sadly, just dull. “One Hell of a Party,” certainly isn’t. The song, which features vocals from Jarvis Cocker and has an Asian sound to it, is just too slow to be interesting. On the opposite end of the tempo spectrum is “Mer du Japon,” the album’s only really upbeat track, but which fails to connect with me, and has this strange fade-out during the last minute where a Japanese stringed instrument is briefly heard, before going back to the up-tempo—as if someone had changed the radio station. “Lost Message” is lovely, but I get this nagging sense it would be suited to score an ‘80s coffee commercial.
Still, some interesting, more experimental songs do appear. Such as mostly instrumental “Mayfair Song,” a great moody piece of layered synths, some sounding almost like voices, and space-age sound effects Air is known to sprinkle throughout its songs. I also really like the retro-sounding “Left Bank,” which exhibits such a lovely clarity of instrumentation—technical perfection shines throughout the album—but also a nice sense of intimacy, like it’s just a guitarist and singer Dunkel sitting together playing.
Dark “Photograph” is a bit unnerving at first, but on repeat listens reveals subtle harmonies and even hope. “Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping,” which features vocals from the Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon, is another good track. A dramatic blend of folksy guitars, dramatic movie-like strings, and Asian influences.
Much of Pocket Symphony sounds similar to the quieter territory explored in Talkie Walkie, as well as Darkel and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s 5:55, but without those album’s punchier standout songs. By comparison, Pocket Symphony is mellower—better certainly for late night background chill music—but ultimately less memorable.
Best tracks: Mayfair Song, Photograph, Left Bank, Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping.
Instrumental “Space Maker” is all lovely acoustic guitar over faraway percussion smooth and distorted synths and a dose of piano. “Once Upon a Time” is distorted percussion over repetitive tinkling piano. Groovy “Napalm Love” is repetitive piano chords over distorted synths and other repetitive keyboard effects. These three songs that open the album are all good, but none are standouts. “Redhead Girl” falls along those lines too—nice, but just not memorable.
Other songs are sadly, just dull. “One Hell of a Party,” certainly isn’t. The song, which features vocals from Jarvis Cocker and has an Asian sound to it, is just too slow to be interesting. On the opposite end of the tempo spectrum is “Mer du Japon,” the album’s only really upbeat track, but which fails to connect with me, and has this strange fade-out during the last minute where a Japanese stringed instrument is briefly heard, before going back to the up-tempo—as if someone had changed the radio station. “Lost Message” is lovely, but I get this nagging sense it would be suited to score an ‘80s coffee commercial.
Still, some interesting, more experimental songs do appear. Such as mostly instrumental “Mayfair Song,” a great moody piece of layered synths, some sounding almost like voices, and space-age sound effects Air is known to sprinkle throughout its songs. I also really like the retro-sounding “Left Bank,” which exhibits such a lovely clarity of instrumentation—technical perfection shines throughout the album—but also a nice sense of intimacy, like it’s just a guitarist and singer Dunkel sitting together playing.
Dark “Photograph” is a bit unnerving at first, but on repeat listens reveals subtle harmonies and even hope. “Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping,” which features vocals from the Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon, is another good track. A dramatic blend of folksy guitars, dramatic movie-like strings, and Asian influences.
Much of Pocket Symphony sounds similar to the quieter territory explored in Talkie Walkie, as well as Darkel and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s 5:55, but without those album’s punchier standout songs. By comparison, Pocket Symphony is mellower—better certainly for late night background chill music—but ultimately less memorable.
Best tracks: Mayfair Song, Photograph, Left Bank, Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping.
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