Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (4/5)Perhaps my favorite indie album of the year (although I just bought one I might like better--more on that in time), Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is the fourth album from French alternative band Phoenix. It's '80s-curbing synth-based melodies and overall jaunty atmosphere remind me of last year's brilliant debut from Black Kids, albeit more restrained. These fun, but mannered songs never get too frothy, nor thankfully too maudlin. This album's specialty is contrast, finding musical joy in pitting rocking moments of guitar and drums up against quieter ones of milky warm synth chords, frequently with alternating passages of both within the same song.
Opening tracks "Lisztomania"--a reference to the fan mania (no joke) experienced by the 19th century German pianist Franz Liszt--and "1901" are the album's most upbeat moments, but even "Lisztomania's" passages of frenetic drumming are tempered by the warm, mellow synthesizer chords. "1901" is more rocking, with some feedback and more prominent guitar. "Fences" is mellower and a little darker.
These are the kind of songs you expect to show up in an iPod ad--mellow enough for TV but just enough swagger to be cool. But just when you think this album is going the same way many other synth-loving alternative albums have of late, up comes moody two-parter "Love Like a Sunset." The mostly instrumental first part opens with a repetitive, progressively changing keyboard refrain and buzzing synths that segue into guitar and percussion with the melody eventually building with more synths and fuzz. It's an interesting break from the accessible pop of the album's first three tracks. During the last minute and a half it breaks into a more regular rhythm. Part II starts with some big guitars, like U2 with synths, building with vocals and then over in just 2 minutes.
The second half of the album isn't quite as impressive, but is still quite enjoyable. "Countdown" is the standout track, with choruses that alternate between rockin' guitar and quite keyboard moments. "Lasso" is a decently upbeat, pretty normal guitar-driven track. "Rome" starts with sparse staccato bass line before kicking in its guitars. It's middle section has a pleasing "hush" to it, where deep synth chords take over rather than the usual guitar solo. "Girlfriend," while a fine song, offers little to distinguish itself as interesting compared to most other songs here. Final track "Armistice" is better, with a likable insistence and alternating sections of tripped out synths and electric guitar.
Best: Lisztomania, 1901, Love Like a Sunset, Fences, Countdown
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (3.5/5)Often weirdly beautiful and other times just weird, Merriweather Post Pavilion--named for a popular outdoor concert venue not far from me--is the 8th studio album from the Baltimore-based Animal Collective. This album came out at the beginning of the year, to pretty much universal acclaim.
The layered sounds of opening track "In the Flowers" recalls The Flaming Lips. It's followed by "My Girls," which starts with waves of layered synth effects and overlapping vocals before transitioning into one of the album's most upbeat and accessible songs. Jaunty "Summertime Clothes," whose opening sounds like the rhythmic pulse of a washing machine, is the album's best track. "Daily Routine" is much mellower, with it undulating synths and calming sounds like that of an ocean.
Other songs are more bizarre, like "Taste," which sounds like someone stole the synthesizer riff from Madonna's "Lucky Star" and sent it to an outer space street carnival. Several songs incorporate African sounds, like "Lion in a Coma" and "Brother Sport," reinterpreted with synth melodies rather than the acoustic instruments that usually accompanies moves. I can see why this album is well-liked, and it is an interesting listen, although not something I would imagine myself going back to again and again. Just for fun, click on the album cover to make the image big and just stare at it...isn't that cool?
Best: Summertime Clothes, Daily Routine, My Girls.
1 comment:
Liztomania is just pure brilliant. Very 80's, very funky. What a way to start an album, 1901 is great too! :)
I just realized I've been listening to Animal Collective's My Girls for sometime now, it doesn't really stand out like those top 40's track but that's what I like about it, great song to listen to while you are doing things that don't require your full attention to it :)
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