Blake Solomon
06/16/09, 07:00 PM
Andrew Dost – Columbus
Record Label: Paper and Plastick
Release Date: Out Now Digitally
Who?
Andrew Dost makes music you like without making a lot of noise. As a member of both fun. and Anathallo, his resume is chock full of smart, heavily orchestrated indie pop. Along with some relatively high-powered friends (Michael Nau of Page France, Joel Thiele of Anathallo, Chris and Steve from Punchline) he has released his concept album/musical/just-darn-pleasant ode to Christopher Columbus, aptly titled Columbus.
How Is It?
It’s about time They Might Be Giants passed on the cutesy quirk-pop torch. Dost wields his formidable power with a lightness so inviting that it’s almost irrelevant to think of this album as “conceptual.” Unlike other high-brow forays into musical storytelling, Columbus tells its tale in easy-to-follow segments. Song titles like “Hey Columbus!” and “We’re Setting Sail” leave little room for guesswork, but that’s ok, because there’s no reason to clutter the story of our continent’s founding with unnecessary metaphors or overpowering instrumental tangents. However, the true power of this album is in buddy songs like the slightly-punk shanty “What’s An Adventure Without A Crew” or on the female-male harmonization of ballad “Sailing Song (Weight And Sea).” Dost features his friends in smart ways, as they aren’t simply sidelined to the supporting roles. The peripheral musicians become headliners often (like on piano-fueled “Welcome To Our Native Land), and you’ll barely miss Dost’s pitch-perfect tenor.
Concept albums don’t have to be Sci-Fi based or electric guitar-riddled. Dost and his merry band of hippies create more than enough engagement through humor and playful horns (see “Let’s Start A Nation”). The cohesion of Columbus is rock solid due to expertly crafted refrains (“Dude! I Can See Land Again!”, “Hey Columbus! You’re Back!” and more than a few Anathallo-inspired moments (“The World Is Flat”). Most people can barely write a “normal” album, but Dost has proven the strength and charm of his abilities the first time around. For something clever and different, you can’t do much better than Columbus.
Recommended If You Like: fun., Anathallo, history, They Might Be Giants, corn on the cob
www.myspace.com/andrewdost
Record Label: Paper and Plastick
Release Date: Out Now Digitally
Who?
Andrew Dost makes music you like without making a lot of noise. As a member of both fun. and Anathallo, his resume is chock full of smart, heavily orchestrated indie pop. Along with some relatively high-powered friends (Michael Nau of Page France, Joel Thiele of Anathallo, Chris and Steve from Punchline) he has released his concept album/musical/just-darn-pleasant ode to Christopher Columbus, aptly titled Columbus.
How Is It?
It’s about time They Might Be Giants passed on the cutesy quirk-pop torch. Dost wields his formidable power with a lightness so inviting that it’s almost irrelevant to think of this album as “conceptual.” Unlike other high-brow forays into musical storytelling, Columbus tells its tale in easy-to-follow segments. Song titles like “Hey Columbus!” and “We’re Setting Sail” leave little room for guesswork, but that’s ok, because there’s no reason to clutter the story of our continent’s founding with unnecessary metaphors or overpowering instrumental tangents. However, the true power of this album is in buddy songs like the slightly-punk shanty “What’s An Adventure Without A Crew” or on the female-male harmonization of ballad “Sailing Song (Weight And Sea).” Dost features his friends in smart ways, as they aren’t simply sidelined to the supporting roles. The peripheral musicians become headliners often (like on piano-fueled “Welcome To Our Native Land), and you’ll barely miss Dost’s pitch-perfect tenor.
Concept albums don’t have to be Sci-Fi based or electric guitar-riddled. Dost and his merry band of hippies create more than enough engagement through humor and playful horns (see “Let’s Start A Nation”). The cohesion of Columbus is rock solid due to expertly crafted refrains (“Dude! I Can See Land Again!”, “Hey Columbus! You’re Back!” and more than a few Anathallo-inspired moments (“The World Is Flat”). Most people can barely write a “normal” album, but Dost has proven the strength and charm of his abilities the first time around. For something clever and different, you can’t do much better than Columbus.
Recommended If You Like: fun., Anathallo, history, They Might Be Giants, corn on the cob
www.myspace.com/andrewdost