Jeremy Aaron
08/30/09, 12:13 AM
Datarock - Red
Record Label: Nettwerk Records
Release Date: June 9, 2009
If you're at all familiar with their 2005 debut Datarock Datarock, you already know that one thing Datarock are not is one-dimensional. That eclectic disc boasted elements of glitchy laptop pop, nervy rock in the vein of Bloc Party and even a touch of hip hop, with the unifying characteristic being an inherent danceability. It's not surprising, then, that their colorfully-titled second full-length Red reflects an amalgam of influences, both past and present. Datarock are clearly fans of the '80s, borrowing from Talking Heads' jittery post-punk rhythms as well as that era's ubiquitous driving synth-rock sound, but infusing it with modern electronic elements. This duality spills over into the subject matter as well -- observe the decidedly 21st-Century "The Blog" versus the totally '80s "Molly," an ode to Molly Ringwald.
One might read the above description and imagine that this record sounds like some souped-up version of So Many Dynamos, and I apologize if that raised any hopes. Instead, think of Red as a musical equivalent of Oceans Twelve, a film that, despite an all-star cast and winning premise, fell short of its potential due to mostly phoned-in performances. In a similar manner, Datarock have all the colors in their palette to paint a really exciting album, but ultimately come up short. To sustain the art metaphor, Red comes off rather like an Impressionist painting -- vibrant and colorful, but lacking the contrast and nuance required for pop music to be effective.
It's not all bad, though. Musically, the songs are occasionally engaging and almost always carry a danceable beat, and the production is clear and crisp (though not necessarily refreshing). The Franz Ferdinand-like hook combined with spacey sound effects make the single "Give It Up" an ear-catching winner. "The Pretender" marks one of the few moments when the band put to use all the tricks up their sleeve in a way that sounds inspired. On the album closer "New Days Dawn," Datarock prove that they can be effective when playing outside their comfort zone, delivering a stripped-down, loungy ballad comparable to Elvis Costello's "New Lace Sleeves."
When the album falters, it's for one of two reasons. First, as with the instrumental centerpiece "In the Red," on which Datarock combine a wandering organ line with swirling synths, the music simply fails to be interesting, which is of particular concern for an instrumental. It's the sound of a band trying to force together two puzzle pieces that simply don't fit. More often, the musical framework for the song is strong and almost enough to carry it, were it not handicapped by vocal melodies that are either flat (the verses of "Back in the Seventies," the melodies of which sound borrowed from She Wants Revenge) or annoyingly awkward (the chorus of "Amarillion").
Despite its shortcomings, Red isn't without its charms, and there's almost definitely something here for every dance fan, and even a few numbers whose hooks would have satisfied with or without the groove appeal. It's just a little difficult for me not to feel a little disappointed with it, because it has all the trappings of a great record but winds up well short of great.
Talking Heads' Remain in Light
LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver
Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future
Shitdisco's Kingdom of Fear
Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into
1. The Blog (3:11)
2. Give It Up (2:47)
3. True Stories (2:49)
4. Dance (3:38)
5. Molly (3:20)
6. Do It Your Way (1:47)
7. In the Red (3:34)
8. Fear of Death (2:15)
9. Amarillion (4:20)
10. The Pretender (3:08)
11. Back in the Seventies (3:00)
12. Not Me (3:46)
13. New Days Dawn (3:08)
Check out Datarock on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/datarock).
Record Label: Nettwerk Records
Release Date: June 9, 2009
If you're at all familiar with their 2005 debut Datarock Datarock, you already know that one thing Datarock are not is one-dimensional. That eclectic disc boasted elements of glitchy laptop pop, nervy rock in the vein of Bloc Party and even a touch of hip hop, with the unifying characteristic being an inherent danceability. It's not surprising, then, that their colorfully-titled second full-length Red reflects an amalgam of influences, both past and present. Datarock are clearly fans of the '80s, borrowing from Talking Heads' jittery post-punk rhythms as well as that era's ubiquitous driving synth-rock sound, but infusing it with modern electronic elements. This duality spills over into the subject matter as well -- observe the decidedly 21st-Century "The Blog" versus the totally '80s "Molly," an ode to Molly Ringwald.
One might read the above description and imagine that this record sounds like some souped-up version of So Many Dynamos, and I apologize if that raised any hopes. Instead, think of Red as a musical equivalent of Oceans Twelve, a film that, despite an all-star cast and winning premise, fell short of its potential due to mostly phoned-in performances. In a similar manner, Datarock have all the colors in their palette to paint a really exciting album, but ultimately come up short. To sustain the art metaphor, Red comes off rather like an Impressionist painting -- vibrant and colorful, but lacking the contrast and nuance required for pop music to be effective.
It's not all bad, though. Musically, the songs are occasionally engaging and almost always carry a danceable beat, and the production is clear and crisp (though not necessarily refreshing). The Franz Ferdinand-like hook combined with spacey sound effects make the single "Give It Up" an ear-catching winner. "The Pretender" marks one of the few moments when the band put to use all the tricks up their sleeve in a way that sounds inspired. On the album closer "New Days Dawn," Datarock prove that they can be effective when playing outside their comfort zone, delivering a stripped-down, loungy ballad comparable to Elvis Costello's "New Lace Sleeves."
When the album falters, it's for one of two reasons. First, as with the instrumental centerpiece "In the Red," on which Datarock combine a wandering organ line with swirling synths, the music simply fails to be interesting, which is of particular concern for an instrumental. It's the sound of a band trying to force together two puzzle pieces that simply don't fit. More often, the musical framework for the song is strong and almost enough to carry it, were it not handicapped by vocal melodies that are either flat (the verses of "Back in the Seventies," the melodies of which sound borrowed from She Wants Revenge) or annoyingly awkward (the chorus of "Amarillion").
Despite its shortcomings, Red isn't without its charms, and there's almost definitely something here for every dance fan, and even a few numbers whose hooks would have satisfied with or without the groove appeal. It's just a little difficult for me not to feel a little disappointed with it, because it has all the trappings of a great record but winds up well short of great.
Talking Heads' Remain in Light
LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver
Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future
Shitdisco's Kingdom of Fear
Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into
1. The Blog (3:11)
2. Give It Up (2:47)
3. True Stories (2:49)
4. Dance (3:38)
5. Molly (3:20)
6. Do It Your Way (1:47)
7. In the Red (3:34)
8. Fear of Death (2:15)
9. Amarillion (4:20)
10. The Pretender (3:08)
11. Back in the Seventies (3:00)
12. Not Me (3:46)
13. New Days Dawn (3:08)
Check out Datarock on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/datarock).