4Play: Massive Attack, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, MGMT, Free Energy

March 7, 2010

Massive Attack - Heligoland - V Records
Massive Attack combine a plethora of electronica approaches into their latest disc, so many that perhaps that’s 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 Portishead’s Adrian Utley guests on guitar on “Saturday...,” which also features vocals from the aforementioned Albarn. And it’s all produced in spare fashion, all the better to showcase the talent.






Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat the Devil’s 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
MGMT’s 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, MGMT’s “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 Dada’s Nightmare,” while production assistance by Dave Fridmann helps give the set a slightly wacky ambiance.





Free Energy - Stuck on Nothing - DFA
The first impression you’ll get of Philly retro pop/rock band Free Energy is that they’re stuck in the ‘70s - and that’s 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.