Ladybug Transistor - Argyle Heir
(Merge)
The Ladybug Transistor is just so damn pleasant--not in an irritating
soft rock, Christopher Cross sort of way, but in inviting, homey
sort of way. They have reached a level where, with their orchestration
and sense of melody, they seem unable to write a bad song. That pleasantness
reached new heights on their last album, 1999's Albemarle Sound, whose
wall of sound production style and newfound melodic maturation
made it one of the best pop albums of the decade. That maturation continues
on the new Argyle Heir but leads the band to a more adult sound, where
the production is much less thick and the pace has much less pep.
The band's pair of gender pairs and 60s rehash style has led many to
the simplistic comparison of The Mamas and the Papas. Seemingly in
retaliation against that, there is little vocal harmonizing on Argyle
Heir, which can be initially off-putting to those just looking for another
Albemarle Sound. Often times, the hook to the songs is an upbeat
trumpet progression, like in "Wooden Bars,"
and not from the vocals. Group founder Gary Olson provides much of the
vocals (leading in almost every song and often unaccompanied), and he
sings on Argyle Heir in a very pleasant but very unassuming way.
His style is gentle and low-key, providing some subtle nuance but
little flair and limited melody. This lack
of space given to the vocals draws more attention to the horns,
strings, and flute that accompany the other instruments, giving them
more room to stretch out and let their presence be known.
This orchestration of brass and strings is another step up in
sophistication for the band. Previously, the band's style could have
just been dismissed as another Elephant Six group copping Brian Wilson
led California pop. With Argyle Heir, many of the band's other influences
are more easily heard. It's like with each record you can hear the
band's record collection grow, just as you can hear their musical
ability grow. Taking more prominent positions in the sound of this record
are 70s AM pop and electric folk. The band's use of orchestrated pop is
not just a result of Pet Sounds but also writers like Burt Bacharach
and Jimmy Webb. These songs are not bursts of celebration, like Beach
Boys inspired works, but gentle, soft, sweeping songs where key melodies
are allowed to sit prominently, not just folded in as another layer of
sound. The mellow pace also lets more of the band's folk influence
seep in, similar to their Sixth
Great Lake side project.
Argyle Heir is a more sophisticated, adult album than the excellent
Albemarle Sound. However, one of the caveats of being "sophisticated"
and "adult" is that it makes it a lot harder to just have "fun," and
Argyle Heir is not as fun to listen to as Albemarle Sound. It is
still incredibly pleasant though. While it still may be one of the
best pop albums of the year (it is probably the best one so far), it still isn't
quite as good as their last effort.
|
