ALBUM REVIEW: LOGOS

In 2008, an unfinished version of “Logos” leaked onto the Internet. So disheartened by the ordeal, Bradford Cox (of Deerhunter) almost canned the idea. Thankfully, he did not. Now, back under the name Atlas Sound, Bradford returns with his well-anticipated (and finished) 3rd album “Logos”.

The album starts with the very Sung Tongs/Feels-y ‘The Light That Failed’. It sounds like it is going to get nice and weird, but then after the first few seconds, it saunters into an incoherent drone. It does, however, set you up for a nice mellow trip through the brilliant and the tedious. Songs like ‘Criminals’ and ‘An Orchid’ take you to a bright, but calming place. ‘An Orchid’ especially gives you visual of walking through the woods with ‘Criminals’ providing the sunlight shining through.

On the opposite end, ‘Attic Lights’ and ‘My Halo’ just go on and on and on.... They don't enlighten you because the intense calm just lulls you into a doze. There are some absolutely fantastic points like ‘Shelia’ and ‘Walkabout’. ‘Shelia’ sounds like an early 60’s pop song due to it’s simple guitar melodies and surreal lyrics with little experimental break downs.

When I first heard ‘Walkabout’, I got filled with such an overt feeling of pure joy. It’s by far the perfect summer song. Bradford bringing Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) in for vocals was such a brilliant decision. With him, they were able to craft absolute magic. Unlike that collaboration, ‘Quick Canal’, with guest vocals by Stereolab’s Lætitia Sadier, doesn’t do it for me. First off, it’s too long. It is 8 minutes of ultimately the same thing that would have benefited by cutting off a few minutes. Second off, I’m not a big fan of how she used her voice: it sounds very pretentious and over done with too much creepy.

‘Washington School’ and ‘Logos’ finish off the album on a very trippy fantastical note. ‘Washington School’ puts you in a little trance with it’s oh-so-catchy bassline and dreamy vocals, but kicks you out of it with ‘Logos’’s Julian Casablancas vocal impersonation.

Bradford Cox shows some serious potential with ‘Logos’. It creates a wonderfully calming atmosphere, while, for the most part, constantly keeping your attention with it’s weird pop melodies. Every song gives you something different while still sounding flawlessly cohesive. He will probably never escape the Animal Collective comparisons (for all I care he toured with them and now he has Noah Lennox as a guest), but I feel they’ll help him to branch out even further and create even weirder records.

Atlas Sound (feat. Noah Lennox) - Walkabout

This review was written by Double Hawk, a fellow indie enthusiast and author of the music blog Lines Of Oration, who writes the occassional album or concert review for Danish Poet. If you are also interested in becoming a guest writer for Danish Poet, email me at danishpoet@mail.com with the subject "Guest Writer."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Wolf Parade - Dinner Bells

THE LIST

*pic*

It's 2009. That means pretty soon, it'll have been just another decade that passed right before our very eyes. Many blogs will be making lists, I'm sure, of some of their favorite music videos, albums, artists, and songs from the past decade. I'll be doing the same, because frankly, I'm not very original. Sometime before the end of the year (December, possibly January) I'll post three lists of, what I consider to be, the top ten best albums of the decade, the top ten best music videos of the decade, and the top ten best songs of the decade.

Along the line of music videos I'll be looking at stuff as good as this. If you have any ideas as to artists, albums, or music vids you'd like me to consider for The List, just email me. Until then, here's some mellow So Cow:

So Cow - To Do List

And even though this has absolutely nothing to do with the theme of this article, I've been itching to post this truly fantastic song by Beach House. Making good use of an untuned guitar:

Beach House - Norway

SWEDEN (AND OTHER THINGS)

Oh dearest, dearest Sweden. I love you. I've never been within your borders, but I have experienced you through the sense of sound, listening to the many artists who have flourished and spread like a vine across the Atlantic Ocean and into my heart. 

From Love Is All, to Teddybears. From Shout Out Louds to Peter Bjorn and John. Sweden, if you're reading this, this post is for you. Mainly because I had no idea what else to write about, but also because I love you and the creativity you've spurred. 

So, instead of posting music by the fabulous Swedish bands I just listed above (and which I highly recommend), I'm going to post a song by The Stranglers that I wouldn't be surprised to hear on the next Wes Anderson movie. A punk's ode to Sweden.

The Stranglers - Sweden (All Quiet On The Eastern Front)

p.s.

Double Hawk and I are going back to Terminal 5 for another concert! This time it's Arctic Monkeys! December 10th! That's right, get excited! 

To see the last concert we attended at Terminal Five, click here.

p.p.s.

The above drawing is by Sweden's own Nadine Byrne. Kudos to Booooooom.

THIS IS ACTUALLY QUITE COOL

I guess I better get back to semi-regularly posting again... but, time will have its way with me.

Pearl and the Beard - Will Smith Medley from Goddamn Cobras Collective on Vimeo.

WELCOMING NOVEMBER

Alas, November is finally here. The air has a certain crisp chill to it that is uncharacteristic of October, and on Sundays the streets are dead and quiet. Coming soon this month will be a review of Atlas Sound's Logos by Double Hawk, a guest writer on Danish Poet who also writes for the music blog Lines Of Oration. 

I thought the best way to welcome the new month would be by posting Booooooom's "favourite video of the year." Enjoy stop-motion at its best for the new Grizzly Bear music video below, which kind of reminds me of Weird Fishes just a little bit.