I have to confess to totally missing the brilliance of Electrelane on first listen. It was only after hearing "To the East" at B.T. Gilmore's birthday party, and at his urging, that I revisited their lastest album "No Shouts, No Calls."
"To the East" is the record's first single. That it stands out on an album with so many well-crafted songs is quite remarkable. Perhaps it's the opening notes, the combination of the sliding bass and stomping kick drum, slightly reminiscent of Arcade Fire's "Rebellion (Lies)," that makes it so catchy. Or the ringing guitar present throughout. Or the nervous longing in singer Verity Susman's high pitch voice. But more likely, it's the way the song slowly shuffles towards a bouncy, energetic climax. Regardless, it's refreshing to hear a song recognizing the East as a destination full of promise and opportunity, the way the West has for so long.
Electrelane - To the East [buy the album here]
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Song of the Week
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comments:
The beauty of Electrelane is that they manage to employ industrial strength, without sacrificing the rawness of their instruments. I am always blown away by the purity of their vocals--no vocoda, no effects, no bullshit to mask their sound, which is bigger and richer than most over produced bands these days. They layer exquisitely, the classic sound upon sound upon sound element that takes more time, but again, the end effect is singular and shiny. I have loved them for years. Listen to Power Out and prepare to be transported.
Post a Comment