4Play: Massive Attack, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, MGMT, Free Energy
March 7, 2010
Massive Attack - Heligoland - V RecordsMassive Attack combine a plethora of electronica approaches into their latest disc, so many that perhaps thats why it took them a half-dozen years to return with a new album. Also abundant are guest vocalists, from Blur/Gorillaz Damon Albarn to Hope Sandoval; Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio) layers his vocals one over another on Pray For Rain, and Portisheads Adrian Utley guests on guitar on Saturday..., which also features vocals from the aforementioned Albarn. And its all produced in spare fashion, all the better to showcase the talent.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat the Devils Tattoo - Vagrant
With dual vocals from Robert Levon Been and Peter Hayes, the latest effort from BRMC presents a couple of immediate listeners and a few that are more of a slow-burn. Right from the first spin, War Machine with its post-machine feel and Done All Wrong with its careful arrangement and performance both catch the ear, while a few more listens will draw in the appeal of the melodically-architectural Long Way Down and the arena-big Half-State, which closes the set with both significant emotional investment and a rock hook, too.
MGMT - Congratulations - Columbia
MGMTs sophomore album reportedly takes a few - er - unusual inspirations from the charts of today, namely the overrated Lady Gaga and Kanye West, whom MGMT members Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser say represent, in part, MGMTs newfound fame. Well, alrighty then. The album itself is an intricate and occasionally psychedelic soul-pop offering, from the catch of Flash Delirium to the sardonic Lady Dadas Nightmare, while production assistance by Dave Fridmann helps give the set a slightly wacky ambiance.
Free Energy - Stuck on Nothing - DFA
The first impression youll get of Philly retro pop/rock band Free Energy is that theyre stuck in the 70s - and thats a pretty accurate assessment. Working with producer James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), the band have fully fused those distinctive tones and shallow platform-shoe lyrics into their songs, from the 8-track flatness of Dark Trance to the whiny psychedelia of All I Know, with an occasional veer into Kenny-Loggins-era 80s. It may have been a concept with potential, but everything sounds so similar it renders them a one-trick pony.