Following their first full length release (Rock It To The Moon; an ELECTRO-PUNK record of the caliber of, if not better than Le Tigre's self-titled), this British ALL FEMALE quartet enters the studio with producer Steve Albini (eg. Pixies, Nirvana, PJ Harvey) to record one of the best and most musically interesting pop records of 2004; A RECORD OF EPIC DIMENSIONS. Joy Division-ish haunting synth melodies channeled through up-tempo garage-y drum-bass lines and multiorgasmic synth grooves. I dub this "electro garage pop". In contrast to their instrumental debut, the vocals here carry a distinct weight. High pitched screams and a vast vocal range from Dolores O'Riordan (the Cranberries) and PJ Harvey to Holly Golightly. In this musical collage, you will find BB King-esque bluesy guitar lines, Thelonius Monk-ish to Nina Simonish piano lines, no wave-y James Chance-y sax lines, a 12-piece choir, a Stereolabish electro-pop aesthetic and many-many more. I think I need a cigarette!
PLAY: 10, 8, 9, 2, 5, 4, 1
1. Mazzy Starish guitar riffs break into a lush electro-/synth groove with high pitched screaming vocals and "Ave Maria" lyrics. Throw some serious Joy Division and Ian Curtis spirit in the mix... especially in the keys.
2. Bouncy, upbeat and dancy. Ripping bass-line. Cross-talking guitar riffs beautifully done. Hear those vocal cries that sound like a bird pitching some kind of woos
3. Is this a cover of a classic gospel tune? This track is fully equipped with a 12 person choir. Amazing vocal layering and a crooning organ.
4. Trully sad and dangerous. Depressing heartaching tune. This is the best way of saying: "I'm still in love with you; I deeply miss you". Slow in the first 3 min; builds up to mid- and fast-tempo! Drony but fluent guitar line with plenty... oh... plenty of bluesy tone (makes me think of BB KIng's The Thrill is Gone).
5. Down-fuckin'-dirty groovy swampy blues guitar slashing through some gawd-un-fuckin-believable riffs. It'll rip your soul to shreds. Very PJ Harvey-ish.
6. This is some infectiously addictive pop rock. All I can think of is... the Cranberries. The vocals are just so Dolores O'Riordan. I don't what kind of language this is... but it sure makes me wanna sing along.
7. Yeah... lazy and sunny 60s garage-pop. Delicate and pretty and bouncy. Think... Holly Golightly.
8. Classic Electrolane! Orgasmic synth grooves topped with the best melodic lines. Mesmerizing and orgasmic.
9. Nostalgic and sad electro-pop-ish instrumental. Techno dancy. Very 80s. Grey and dark like Britain's weather. Stereolab meets Joy Division.
10. Orgasmic synth groove. Amazing melodic (synth). Genius no wave and noisy brass sound. Slashy/offensive guitar. Hand claps and "oh oh oh-oh's". This makes me SPIN OUT OF CONTROL IN ECSTASY!
11. Classically Jazzy. Just piano and drums. A sentimental dreamy piece dancing somewhere between Thelonius Monk and Nina Simone. Sparse and jazzy but also groovy... in the Electrelanish sense of the word: "groovy".