From the opening chords of “Cannibal Resource”, to the church hymnal sound of “Fluorescent Half Dome”, all flows perfectly in sync, progressing from place to place. Hell even genre to genre, which can make nearly every song memorable. This makes it virtually impossible to pick your most beloved track. I won’t even try because it will change after another hour passes. Even finding one song that defines this album best is a difficult task, some key players to its sound however are: “Temecula”, “Cannibal Resource”, “Useful Chamber” and “No Intention”. All of these contain tight melodies and rhythms that eventually reach points of pure musical tension until they explode into a gigantic mix of bona fide melodic vocalizations and mind entangling drum signatures, into a complete release.
Unlike Bitte Orca, however, band frontman David Longstreth seemed to have had himself stuck in the middle of styles. With the release of Bitte Orca it seems he has finally landed in the center. Even though Rise Above (the band’s previous album), contains the same basic style as the new record, I found that it was less defined. Rise Above is more of a musical mash, being certainly less poppy and more aggressive, however, still intriguing and listenable in its own way. Longstreth has clearly gone from a less obscure zone into more audible territory. Another unforgettable aspect of this album are the outstanding vocal performances/additions from Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian, both of whom have their moments. “Two Doves” for example is one hell of a traditional style-ballad that is backed by captivating violins, and is probably the least intricate track on the record.
Getting through “Cannibal Resource” and “Temecula” is a very simple and enjoyable task, and besides the unconventional style of “The Bride”, the run through the entire album (especially 1-7) is nearly flawless, and its perfect diversification and genuine creativity makes this one of the best “indie-rock” albums I have heard in probably years. A lot of which comes down to its perplexing timings, unusual song arrangements and the sometimes vexatious yet delicate vocal cries (and harmonizations) that will distinguish this as the band’s most popular indie-rock/pop record, while also being their most accepted record to date. It should still please long time fans, seeing as the band has done nothing but master their old style.
The one and only complaint I have or have a dislike for anyway, is the album’s closer “Fluorescent Half Dome”, which, after a slow beginning breaks into a peculiar sing-a-long-esque ending (think about a church hymnal sing along after the preacher has taken your money) that ends overall, sluggish. For such a strong album we receive some disappointing closure. Who cares though, a Dirty Projectors song can go from inventive and awesome to unlistenable (to some) in just one song but they’re almost so good at doing that, that it could make it hard for some to like. I’m assuming due to some of the repetitive nature of their music (and some could even say the same about Animal Collective) but no matter how you look at it, their music is different and intriguing.
