Albums

Album Review: The Dodos

[Album: Visiter]
[Label: French Kiss/Wichita]

Originally a solo act called Dodobird, Meric Long teamed up in 2006 with drummer Logan Kroeber (who was then into progressive metal) to form this psychedelic folk duo. Long’s intention with the collaboration was to have the drums as the central focus to bring out the syncopated rhythms coming from the acoustic guitar.

Based in San Francisco, The Dodos manage to inject both the warmth of their home climate and the unpredictability of their ocean into the music. This is their sophomore album and it’s all about experimentation. By varying the mic placements in the recording studio, the band has captured a variety of ambient sounds that appear unadulterated on the album. It’s clear from the off that this is deliberate as overplucked strings result in an interesting, almost ugly, wood resonance on ‘Walking’, whilst the tinny snare on ’Red And Purple’ hammer at the right speaker whilst in the left we hear a gurgling guitar create an awkward sense of unease. It’s very clever stuff and keeps you constantly on your toes.

In general the music is upbeat and passionate with Long’s soft, eloquently sung vocals holding all the different threads together - a touch of Brian Wilson-smooth here, a dab of Lou Reed-discord there. This dischord is transferred to the instruments in the middle tracks bringing songs like the seven-minute long ‘Joe’s Waltz’ a bit of Mudhoney fuzz and grunge, ’Park Song’ a bleak simplicity and ’Jodi’ a stuttering, disquieting drum pattern. Each one of these new sounds are like receiving little electric shocks - whether it’s stabs of pain or excitement will be an entirely individual thing, but you will either love it or hate it.

With all this constant movement, the album is bound to drop a few stumbling blocks in your path. Take the opening toms and tuneless banjo on ‘Winter’ with guest trumpeteer, Cory Gray, popping up to take us sliding down to the land of odd. Then there’s ’It’s That Time Again’ which plays just like a busted-up Beatles record. There always seems to be a song to pick you up off the floor, however - ’Jodi’ is a storm of bullying offbeat drums with Long’s rapid strumming and echoing vocal a force of it’s own. The anchor of the piece is ‘God?’ which brings proceedings to a happy, warming conclusion with sleigh bells, subtle horn sections, elegant fingerpicking and a female vocal helping soothe our busted bones on the chorus. It all goes to prove that The Dodos are, actually, very much alive.

For fans of: Sea Wolf, Animal Collective, Lou Reed
Band link = The Dodos

Buy this CD!

Bookmark to:

Previous & Next