Extra Lens, The / Undercard
Album: Undercard   Collection:General
Artist:Extra Lens, The   Added:Oct 2010
Label:Merge Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2010-10-24 Pull Date: 2010-12-26
Week Ending: Dec 26 Dec 19 Dec 12 Dec 5 Nov 21 Nov 14 Nov 7 Oct 31
Airplays: 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 2

Recent Airplay
1. Nov 30, 2012: Daydream Disaster
Rockin' Rockin' Twilight Of The Gods
4. Dec 18, 2010: Poetry in Parlando
Some Other Way
2. Dec 30, 2010: Poetry in Parlando
Some Other Way
5. Dec 07, 2010: Double Daydream Disaster
Only Existing Footage
3. Dec 23, 2010: And Other Useful Bibles
Adultery
6. Dec 02, 2010: Alt Compost
Some Other Way, Adultery

Album Review
Andy S
Reviewed 2010-10-21
Awesome, intelligent pop music, with definite folk and rock threads. John Darnielle (Mountain Goats) sings, and this is essentially a MGs record, intensely smart songwriting and all, with more creative instrumentation. Most of said arrangements are provided by Franklin Bruno (Nothing Painted Blue), who wrangles really nice varied guitar tones throughout. I'm partial to the tracks with big guitar, but you can't go wrong with any of this. Start with 7, 1, 12. FCC clean.
– Andy

**1 - Quick, intense folk-rock; big groaning guitar, arresting back-up
2 - Wistfully mellow, centers on half-spoken vocals, could easily appear on one of the last few MG albums
*3 - Ambient guitar intro, mid-tempo MG-style song made more interesting by different guitars and some backing vox
*4 - Sweet, 10,000 Maniacs pop, gorgeous instrumentation
5 - Melancholy, piano-accented pop; puts you on the balcony outside the party, looking out into the dark
*6 - Upbeat and suspenseful; cool distorted e. guitar riff with bells
**7 - The kind of calmly badass pop that's waiting to break out into rock chaos; doesn't release fully, but the exhilaration's all there
8 - Mid-tempo; instrumentals wander and shift delicately like Dirty Projectors
*9 - Slow, mournful, voice/piano/accordion, with penetrating chorus – Randy Newman cover!
10 - Spacey guitar behind gentle acoustic pop song about fishing with dad
*11 - Contemplative but upbeat pop with lush, sort-of-eighties instrumentation
**12 - Loud and angrily anthemic, with big rock guitars and synth/trumpet cameos

Track Listing
1. Adultery   7. Some Other Way
2. Cruiserweights   8. Ambivalent Landscape Z
3. Only Existing Footage   9. In Germany Before The War
4. Communicating Doors   10. Tug On The Line
5. Programmed Cell Death   11. Rockin' Rockin' Twilight Of The Gods
6. How I Left The Ministry   12. Dogs Of Clinic 17