Listening Post: Caribou - Andorra

I have to admit that I am entirely unfamiliar with Caribou (for the history of Caribou/Manitoba, check out the official website or the wikipedia entry). The neatest fact (from allmusic.com): One year later, however, Snaith was forced to give up the name Manitoba after Dictators frontman Handsome Dick Manitoba sued for trademark infringement (despite the passing of 15 years since the release of the only material under his name, a 1990 LP by Manitoba's Wild Kingdom).

Anyway, I read a decent review about the new album by Caribou called "Andorra." At first, I was scared by the tag that this is an electronica genre album. As a person who really dug the olden days of Chemical Brothers, I did not relish being surrounded by squiggles and twitches for 35+ minutes. Let's also get the fact out that I'm stuck in a jazz/soul phase, so this could be a failed experiment due to my taste. Anyway, here we go...let's start the Listening Post.

1. Melody Day - Bells! Sixties hipster soft singing! The wall of sound! Is this song produced by Mark Ronson (pictured to the right...as a tool)? I really like this song. The electronica influence of layering many different tracks and incorporating many disparate sounds and loops are here, but this is a song! This isn't a random collection of sounds that build to a crashing cacaphony for the glow sticked. This has the structure of a song. Awesome.

Speaking of wall of sound, has anyone else listened to the Pipettes? I got their album online, and found it silly. Just plain bad, but then again, easy on the eyes...if you're into polka dots.

Cool false end to this song. Alright, thus far, this is going to be a great album.

2. Sandy - The beauty of stereo...start off with the left channel then a different sound in the right channel. I remember listening to Odelay and loving some of the stereo tricks Beck employed. This sound sounds like a gloomy Polyphonic Spree. The voice is a bit weak here...though matches the use of the pennywhistle. Lots of squiggles. This could be a backdrop for an Austin Powers love scene...and I don't know if that's a good thing. At this point, if you absolutely hate the sounds of the Sixties era, you will hate the first two tracks. This song has every single cliche of the sixties...reverse tapeloop, sitar, "wahhhh" choruses, a bit of strings, psychodelic sounds. Ehhhh, not great...too bad it followed such a great song like "Melody Day."

3. After Hours - I am running...in...slow...motion... I don't think I needed that intro. Ok...now the main part of the song is locked and loaded, and it sounds like a shitty video game. The vocals...sleepy, mellow, non-raspy Ozzy Osborne. I'm yawning, not a good sign.

This song follows the whole droning thing that happened with sixties music. You know, those damned George Harrison Ravi Shankar exercises in indulgence. Drone....drone... The sitar has been replaced by electronic tear drops.

This song is a perfect background song for having a coffee at that pretentious Cosi down the street with the barristers who think they are too good to be barristers. You're sitting there, drinking your 4 dollar cup of infused water while there's that trust-fund hipster typing away at his new apple laptop and the old guy who's obviously wishing he was younger. You know, the type of place that has a square bagel but still makes paninis (which is sooooo 2005).

Why is this song still going on? Oh, I know, because it is 6 minutes long. No need for it to be six minutes, with a completely unnecessary minimalistic solo section, followed by the last minute of chants and no rhythm section. I now know what Brian Wilson hears when he's taking a morphine nap. Ok...blah.

4. She's the One - d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d, the intro is like a Brian Wilson and Philip Glass collaboration. Brian Wilson unfortunately won. Ok...too bad this song started with the propulsive first track...this is belly button gazing music dressed up with electronic flares. Like a waiter at Applebees or Chili's, its adorned with buttons that flash about, but ultimately, its another nostalgic album...see any Sloan album.

Oh, by the way, I hate the slow fade out to end a song.

5. Desiree - Remember that song "Kissing You" by Desiree? That was a hot song. I really liked it (yeah, I know it was a faux torch song, but it was sexy). Caribou's Desiree is a quiet little song. Then, at the 1:16 mark, it gets louder and the strings and cheese take over. This is a sacchrine sweet song...I liked the Phil Spector touches that pop up regularly, but there's too much cute with this song. I hear either a baby gurgle or an owl hooing at the 2 minute mark...really, is that necessary? I got it...this sounds like a James Iha song. Sooooo precious. Then, at the 3 minute mark, there's a hope for some balls to this song, but then a trill of a flute and we're back in fluffy pink clouds land. Yeah...a harp. Ok, this song just sent me into a diabetic coma.

6. Eli - Best song to use the name Eli...it has to be "Eli the Barrel Boy" by the Decemberists. This song is a more of the same. I mean...don't get me wrong, its pleasant pop music. If you love the sixties, definitely get this over that neohippy crap coming from across the pond. However, like I said, I'm think I'm in the wrong mood to really enjoy this...one thing going for this song, its definitely an autumn song. It reminds me of some tracks from the Cocteau Twins, except with pep and happiness. This was definitely inspired by the Beatles, Sufjan Stevens, and a Charlie Brown Christmas. I think I'm getting a little less grumpy.

7. Sundialing - Ugh, what a crappy title for the song. It reminds me of latter day Belle and Sebastian titles or maybe a less wordy, less ironic Of Montreal title. Robot voices? What? This song is a little less sugary than the previous five...more propulsive. Not bad. Wow...watch it with the visualizer on...the beat makes for some neat images. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go huff some paint thinner and watch my Windows Media Player. I think my skin's melting off my face!

8. Irene - The intro could definitely be used in the Charlie Kaufman/Michel Gondry film. It has that coolness that would fit into a great comedic scene of self loathing. I imagine a guy walking down a snow covered sidewalk in a black coat, huffing and coughing from the icy wind, who stops in his tracks when he seeing his old girlfriend moving out of her place with a guy. The main character stops, as if to act, then turns and walks away. Then some piece of screen magic.

This is a great song. Alright, so we've reached two guarenteed excellent tracks to my ears. It takes something that is simple, and provides a slight disjointing that lets you listen to it with a fresh perspective. Brilliant fuzzing out the sound to really make one pay attention to the drive of the song.

9. Niobe - Another video game start...this could be a build up for a Contra type of game. Quick, get the spread gun! Damn...its just the spiraling fire gun. This is a whiny song, again, can totally see this one on a soundtrack. Just looked at the time...this is going to be an 8+ minute song. Here's to hoping this is a rewarding song, and not just a soundtrack for tripping on MDMA. This is much more electronica than any of the other tracks on this album...

I have nothing to say about this song.

Damn, still got 3 minutes to go.

...

Just played the scales with the synthesizer.

I'm bored.

Done!

Overall...I give this album a 3 stars out of five, since it has two incredible songs. The rest of it, I can live without. For those who are fans of the sixties will love this album. Its tight, it has many different sounds components, rewarding headphone listening, and you'll be cool since you're listening to a non-mainstream album. Its pop for hipsters!