4Play: David Bowie, Daniel Merriweather, Phoenix, Royksopp

Sept. 6, 2009

4Play: David Bowie, Daniel Merriweather, Phoenix, Royksopp
Kristi Kates 9/7/09
David Bowie - VH1 Storytellers Live - V Records
The influential and legendary David Bowie was a perfect selection for the Storytellers series, as his songs are not only evocative, but many of them also have detailed and fascinating stories behind them. Bowie’s 1999 appearance on the show took on an almost theater feel, as he expanded upon those stories and anecdotes to make terrific introductions to the songs, from the opener, “Life on Mars?,” through classics like “Rebel Rebel” and more obscure Bowie tunes like “Drive In Saturday,” “Always Crashing in the Same Car,” and “Survive.” If you didn’t think to DVR - er, VHS - this set on TV, this set is the next best thing.


Daniel Merriweather - Love and War - Sony
Soulful Motown, streetcorner acoustic folk, and quietly political pop - it’s all here on Merriweather’s latest, which somehow manages to merge all of these approaches to music without causing a giant audio traffic jam. Song topics here range from romance to life in the busy city - “Impossible” shambles and shuffles through its strangely danceable beat in direct contrast to its sad lyrics; “Chainsaw” sings about a romance gone complicated; “For Your Money” is a two-sides-of-the-coin paean/curse about Merriweather’s vagabond living status; and “Red,” featuring Sean Lennon on guitar, makes love an allegory for politics and vice-versa.


Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Glass Note
French electro-popsters Air’s fourth album continues the danceable slate of tracks that the band has become known for, with plenty of the reinvention and idiosyncratic sounds that keep their sound from becoming dull and predictable. Synth-dance and yes, rock, form the foundations here, with guitars constantly moving, synths offering up darker tones, and beats trying to keep up. “Love Like a Sunset” is remarkably emotional for being primarily instrumental; “Rome” borrows its sonics from a slightly older Phoenix sound; “Armistice” throws in some indie-pop for the masses; and both “1901” and “Countdown” are dance floor hits in the making.

Royksopp - Junior - Wall of Sound
The third album from Norwegian electro-dance-popsters Royksopp attempts to follow up the huge popularity of their last two discs with mixed results. They open strongly with “Happy Up Here,” a super-danceable, funky number with burbling keyboards, and continue that feel with “The Girl and the Robot’s” detailed arrangement and pop hook. “This Must Be It” almost veers into indie-rock territory, as does the pretty “Royksopp Forever” - but then the album kind of loses its pep. “You Don’t Have a Clue” is too insubstantial to follow the previous set of accomplished pop songs, and “Silver Cruiser” is something of a dud.