LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Sound |
by Blair Fraipont |
Artist: Grizzly Bear Album: Veckatimest Label: Warp Rating: A-
This Brooklyn quartet's highly anticipated third album is as dark and dreamy as 2006's Yellow House. The changes here include guitarist Daniel Rossen's lead vocals on several tracks that are as smarmy as Ed Droste's typically nasal vocals and they printed their lyrics. My advice is to ignore the lyric sheet as it only distracts the listener from the beauty of this album. Veckatimest works best as aural wallpaper, i.e. ambient filler. If you listen too closely, you may get sleepy or lose focus, but if you let the music envelop you at its own pace you'll find one of the most rewarding art-rock albums this year. Artist: Animal Collective Album: Merriweather Post Pavilion Label: Domino Records Rating: B+ In a way, Animal Collective is cut from the same cloth as Grizzly Bear: art-rock that is as influenced by pop as they are by experimental sounds. As with Grizzly Bear, you'll find one or two tracks on Merriweather Post Pavilion worth learning the lyrics to as the remainder sink below its own electronic weight. This isn't a bad thing. Animal Collective's syncopated electronica is as addictive and striking as Grizzly Bear's lugubrious harmony. This falls short only because it lacks consistency. Yet, I'll be humming "My Girls" and "Summertime Clothes" all season longmore than anything from Veckatimest. Artist: Prince Album(s): LotusFlow3r and MPLSoUND Label: NPG Rating: B- My problem with Prince is that he tends to take his talent for granted. When such a genius does this, they tend to release albums stuffed with mediocre material. LotusFlow3r and MPLSoUND are two of the three-discs-for-the-price-of-one special staged at Target several months ago. Please understand that his guitar playing is as visceral as ever, his voice as bright and sharp as ever, but his songwriting lackluster. Artist: Bria Valente Album: Elixer Label: NPG Rating: C The purple one's new protg is as bland as melba. She is hardly the "new Sade" that Prince promised months ago. At least Sade has a rich voice. All you get here are some Prince R&B ballad throwaways adorned with Valente's thin, non-descript vocals. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 06 June 5, 2009 |