Open The Book

At first I thought the genre of this album was similar to other issues from My Robot Friend, meaning electropop/rock. But as I got further and further into the record, I became more confused. This CD is manic! There are some noteworthy electro tracks, but there are some strange acoustic pop tracks thrown in too. It’s a shame, because the electronic tracks are so much more unique than the forays into more poppish territory. Still, creative lyrics and the more synth-based songs make this CD worth a listen or two.

RIYL Hot Chip, Fischerspooner
FCC clean
Recommended tracks: 3, 5, 7, 10

1. (4:22) A fast drumbeat and plucky guitar complement airy vocals lamenting a lost relationship.
2. (4:15) Strings with a moving beat and harmonic vocals.
3. (2:12) Short, dancey, synthy ode to 4-on-the-floor beats.
4. (2:36) Dime-a-dozen, poppy song about cheating. Could be in the top 40.
5. (2:33) Interesting lyrics with a catchy beat featuring a typewriter. I love literary puns!
6. (3:01) Country twang that makes me chuckle because the lyric “nickels” sounds like “pickles.”
7. (3:20) ’80s-style synth with pleasant male vocals singing about heartbreak.
8. (3:32) High-pitched vocals over a cute, twinkly beat.
9. (4:27) Acoustic guitar and harmonic girlish pop. What is this doing here? It’s like Bruno Mars somehow inserted himself into this record.
10. (5:16) An especially Hot Chip-sounding track with quiet vocals and a foot-tapping beat that builds into a vibrant synth.
11. (3:01) Dreampop wannabe track with twinkly triangles.