Reviews
Glissandro 70
Glissandro 70
Digg this review.
Add to del.ico.us.Review Date: 2006-05-10
People are always asking me how I go about deciding which albums/artists to review. There isn't really one answer, as I have multiple ways I go about it. Recently, I've been frequenting some of what I consider to be the best sampling of music review websites on the net and getting inspired by what I read.
Sometimes a great review will inspire me to hear an album, but the majority of the time I find myself more interested in albums that receive inconsistent reviews across the board. I find listening to these albums to be a more vitalizing experience. Part of the magic of music for me has always been the element of the unknown, and reviewing an album you are already sure is great takes that variable out of play. And besides, if you've read on ten websites how fuckin' fantastic the latest Wolf Parade album is, then do you need to hear it again?
Enter Glissandro 70, whose new self-titled album I read numerous conflicting reviews about. You never know for certain, but I had a rather strong hunch I would enjoy it. It's only a five-song disc but don't fret -- you still get over a half hour of music, which is more-or-less average in 2006. To my friends I have been describing much of the album as "dance music for indie kids." However, if you are thinking you would ever hear this in a typical club then you aren't really grasping my synopsis. I would imagine Glissandro 70 would result in the same sort of dismay from dance (club) music fans as indie kids feel about typical dance music. The remainder of the album is much more tranquil and leans heavily on repetition against some fancy recording tricks, of which there are plenty.
Cameron (the site designer) made an interesting observation in comparing it to more experimental Animal Collective. Of course, many of you probably think the words "more experimental" and "Animal Collective" together is an oxymoron. I can see his point, especially in the way the vocals are used, but there is far less of a folk influence here than on an Animal Collective record, at least in my opinion.
The lead track "Something" is a pleasant introduction to the album; it's driven by this Spanish sounding really soothing acoustic guitar. It also happens to be almost four minutes shorter than any other song and is easily the least complex. Later in the song bass and various wilderness noises are worked in, but that guitar never stops. It's the type of music you want to hear after you come back from a class and want to calm down. I swear, you can almost feel the guitar soothe what ails you.
"Analogue Shantytown" and "Portugal Rua Rua" are both awesome tracks in spite of me not having any idea if what is being said at most times -- the words are in a different language or literally pure gibberish. I don't care. "Shantytown" goes for an entire minute with nothing but harmonica and vocals that say "Analogue shantytown" repeatedly. Then the song transforms into more of an indie-dance track with an addictive guitar riff that is recycled and sounds almost like you might find it in a porno movie. You wouldn't however find the other sound effects in such a movie. Enter maracas while continuing to keep that riff rockin', just a smidge of drums, and finally a bit of vocals and voila -- you have a fuckin' good time.
The vocals on "Portugal Rua Rua" make me half expect to be doing some sort of ritual dance in the middle of a jungle or in a cult's house while trying to raise the dead or something, and I love every second of it. I find myself trying to duplicate this bizarre voice; I probably sound like the biggest moron alive but it's hard not to. In the background there is what almost sounds like a baby crying; I know this same effect has often been used on John Frusciante's albums but I cannot say how it is actually created. Bass lovers are in for a treat with this song because my sub is trembling with the slow-pounding bass. Later in the song the vocals are back singing about UFO's and heads held high…your guess is as good as mine what the hell it all means, but sometimes it flat-out doesn't matter.
"End West" brings the album to a close but it takes a while. Fourteen minutes is what this track goes on for, and I guess the best I can say about it is that it's about as good as a fourteen minute track ever will be. Well, that isn't entirely true -- the Fiery Furnaces and Neil Young have pulled off this feat and did it better, but I think you get my point. The song evolves and does it often enough to keep the listener from getting bored, but no matter how you slice it all goes on longer than it should. The best way to sum it up is that lately I have been listening to the first four tracks and then putting on another album. So I imagine you get my point.
Songs to Hear: "Something", "Analogue Shantytown", "Portugal Rua Rua"
Score: 8.1
- Dan